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Di Fiore MM, Santillo A, Falvo S, Pinelli C. Celebrating 50+ years of research on the reproductive biology and endocrinology of the green frog: An overview. Gen Comp Endocrinol 2020; 298:113578. [PMID: 32739437 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygcen.2020.113578] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2020] [Revised: 07/20/2020] [Accepted: 07/25/2020] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
This issue is dedicated to the late Professor Giovanni Chieffi, and this article is an overview of the research on Comparative Endocrinology of reproduction using Rana esculenta (alias Pelophylax esculentus) as a model system. Starting from the early 1970s till today, a large quantity of work have been conducted both in the fields of experimental endocrinology and in the definition of the diffuse neuroendocrine system, with a major focus on the increasing role of regulatory peptides. The various aspects investigated concerned the histological descriptions of principal endocrine glands of the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axis, the localization and distribution in the HPG of several different substances (i.e. neurosteroids, hypothalamic peptide hormones, pituitary gonadotropins, gonadal sex steroids, and other molecules), the determination of sex hormone concentrations in both serum and tissues, the hormone manipulations, as well as the gene and protein expression of steroidogenic enzymes and their respective receptors. All together these researches, often conducted considering different periods of the annual reproductive cycle of the green frog, allowed to understand the mechanism of cascade control/regulation of the HPG axis of R. esculenta, characterizing the role of different hormones in the two sexes, and testing the hypotheses about the function of single hormones in different target organs. It becomes evident from the review that, in their simplest form, several features of this species are specular as compared to those of other vertebrate species and that reproduction in this frog species is either under endogenous multi-hormonal control or by a wide array of different factors. Our excursus of this research, spanning almost five decades, shows that R. esculenta has been intensively and successfully used as an animal model in reproductive endocrinology as well as several field studies such as those involving environmental concerns that focus on the effects of endocrine disruptors and other environmental contaminants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Maddalena Di Fiore
- Department of Environmental, Biological and Pharmaceutical Sciences & Technologies, University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli", Caserta, Italy
| | - Alessandra Santillo
- Department of Environmental, Biological and Pharmaceutical Sciences & Technologies, University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli", Caserta, Italy
| | - Sara Falvo
- Department of Environmental, Biological and Pharmaceutical Sciences & Technologies, University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli", Caserta, Italy
| | - Claudia Pinelli
- Department of Environmental, Biological and Pharmaceutical Sciences & Technologies, University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli", Caserta, Italy.
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Yi MJ, Lee JH. Seminiferous Epithelium Cycle in Bombina orientalis. Dev Reprod 2015; 19:1-10. [PMID: 25949204 DOI: 10.12717/devrep.2015.19.1.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2014] [Revised: 12/20/2014] [Accepted: 02/03/2015] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
The purpose of the present study was to examine the seminiferous epithelium cycle of Bombina orientalis using a light microscope. The cycle was divided into a total of 10 stages, according to the morphological characteristics of the cells. The spermatogenetic cells included primary spermatogonia, secondary spermatogonia, primary spermatocytes, secondary spermatocytes, spermatid and sperm. At stage I, the primary spermatogonia was located closer to basal lamina of the seminiferous tubule without spermatocyst formations. Especially at the stage II, the secondary spermatogonia were located in the spermatocyst. The primary and secondary spermatocytes were found from stages III to VI. The secondary spermatocytes were smaller in size than the primary spermatocytes, but they had thicker nucleoplasm and smaller nuclei. The round-shaped, early sperm cells were formed in stage VII, and further divided at stage VIII to have more concentrated nucleoplasm before division to matured sperm cells. At stage X, the matured sperm cells emerged from the spermatocyst. Considering the above results, this study presented the special characteristics in the generation and type of sperm formation. The germ cell formation occurred in various stages, like the perspectives of Franca et al (1999), ultimately, providing taxonomically useful information.
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Affiliation(s)
- Min-Joo Yi
- Graduate School of Education, Kyungnam University, Changwon 631-701, Korea
| | - Jung-Hun Lee
- Dept. of Science Education, Kyungnam University, Changwon 631-701, Korea
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Abstract
The purpose of the present study was to examine the seminiferous epithelium cycle of Bombina orientalis using a light microscope. The cycle was divided into a total of 10 stages, according to the morphological characteristics of the cells. The spermatogenetic cells included primary spermatogonia, secondary spermatogonia, primary spermatocytes, secondary spermatocytes, spermatid and sperm. At stage I, the primary spermatogonia was located closer to basal lamina of the seminiferous tubule without spermatocyst formations. Especially at the stage II, the secondary spermatogonia were located in the spermatocyst. The primary and secondary spermatocytes were found from stages III to VI. The secondary spermatocytes were smaller in size than the primary spermatocytes, but they had thicker nucleoplasm and smaller nuclei. The round-shaped, early sperm cells were formed in stage VII, and further divided at stage VIII to have more concentrated nucleoplasm before division to matured sperm cells. At stage X, the matured sperm cells emerged from the spermatocyst. Considering the above results, this study presented the special characteristics in the generation and type of sperm formation. The germ cell formation occurred in various stages, like the perspectives of Franca et al (1999), ultimately, providing taxonomically useful information.
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Affiliation(s)
- Min-Joo Yi
- Graduate School of Education, Kyungnam University, Changwon 631-701, Korea
| | - Jung-Hun Lee
- Dept. of Science Education, Kyungnam University, Changwon 631-701, Korea
- Corresponding Author : Jung-Hun Lee, Dept. of Science Education, Kyungnam University, 449 Woryeong-dong Masanhappo-gu, Changwon-si, Gyeongsangnam-do, 631-701, Korea. Tel. : +82-55-249-2243, Fax : +82-55-999-2150, E-mail :
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Iturriaga M, Sanz A, Oliva R. Seasonal Reproduction of the Greenhouse FrogEleutherodactylus planirostris(Anura: Eleutherodactylidae) in Havana, Cuba. SOUTH AMERICAN JOURNAL OF HERPETOLOGY 2014. [DOI: 10.2994/sajh-d-13-00039.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
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Caneguim BH, da Luz JS, Valentini SR, Cerri PS, Sasso-Cerri E. Immunoexpression of aromatase and estrogen receptors β in stem spermatogonia of bullfrogs indicates a role of estrogen in the seasonal spermatogonial mitotic activity. Gen Comp Endocrinol 2013; 182:65-72. [PMID: 23247274 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygcen.2012.12.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2012] [Revised: 11/23/2012] [Accepted: 12/03/2012] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
Bullfrog stem spermatogonia, also named primordial germ cells (PGCs), show strong testosterone immunolabeling in winter, but no or weak testosterone immunoexpression in summer. Thus, the role of testosterone in these cells needs to be clarified. In this study, we proposed to evaluate whether PGCs express aromatase and estrogen receptors, and verify a possible role of estrogen in PGCs seasonal proliferation. Testes of male adult bullfrogs, collected in winter (WG) and summer (SG), were fixed and embedded in historesin, for quantitative analysis, or paraffin for immunohistochemistry (IHC). The number of haematoxylin/eosin stained PGCs/lobular area was obtained. Proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), aromatase, estrogen receptor β (ERβ) and PCNA/ERβ double immunolabeling were detected by IHC. The number of PCNA-positive PGCs and the histological score (HSCORE) of aromatase and ERβ immunolabeled PGCs were obtained. Although the number of PGCs increased significantly in WG, a high number of PCNA-positive PGCs was observed in summer. Moreover, aromatase and ERβ HSCORE was higher in SG than WG. The results indicate that PGCs express a seasonal proliferative activity; the low mitotic activity in winter is related to the maximal limit of germ cells which can be supported in the large lobules. In SG, the increased ERβ and aromatase HSCORE suggests that testosterone is converted into estrogen from winter to summer. Moreover, the parallelism between the high PGCs mitotic activity and ERβ immunoexpression suggest a participation of estrogen in the control of the PGCs seasonal proliferative activity which guarantee the formation of new germ cysts from summer to next autumn.
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Affiliation(s)
- Breno Henrique Caneguim
- Department of Morphology and Genetics, Federal University of São Paulo, UNIFESP, São Paulo, Brazil
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Santillo A, Burrone L, Minucci S, Di Giovanni M, Chieffi Baccari G. Molecular pathways involved in the cyclic activity of frog (Pelophylax esculentus) Harderian gland: Influence of temperature and testosterone. Comp Biochem Physiol B Biochem Mol Biol 2011; 158:71-6. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpb.2010.09.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2010] [Revised: 09/14/2010] [Accepted: 09/17/2010] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
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Almog T, Naor Z. The role of Mitogen activated protein kinase (MAPK) in sperm functions. Mol Cell Endocrinol 2010; 314:239-43. [PMID: 19467295 DOI: 10.1016/j.mce.2009.05.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2009] [Revised: 05/14/2009] [Accepted: 05/14/2009] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
The generation of mature spermatozoa in the epididymis includes the activation of the MAPK cascade in a complex manner. MAPKs are thought to be involved in the regulation of transcription and ectoplasmic specialization (ES) in the testis. MAPKs also regulate mature spermatozoa flagellar motility, hyperactivation and the acrosome reaction. Here we review the current data regarding the functions of MAPKs in spermatogenesis and in mature spermatozoa.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tal Almog
- Department of Biochemistry, George S. Wise Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Ramat Aviv, Israel
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Stratford D, Grigg G, McCallum H, Hines H. Breeding ecology and phenology of two stream breeding myobatrachid frogs (Mixophyes fleayi and M. fasciolatus) in south-east Queensland. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2010. [DOI: 10.7882/az.2010.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
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Almog T, Naor Z. Mitogen activated protein kinases (MAPKs) as regulators of spermatogenesis and spermatozoa functions. Mol Cell Endocrinol 2008; 282:39-44. [PMID: 18177996 DOI: 10.1016/j.mce.2007.11.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 76] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Spermatogenesis, culminating in the generation of mature motile spermatozoa, is a complex biological process that is regulated by cytokines and hormones of the male reproductive system. Spermatozoa must first undergo a series of biochemical processes termed capacitation, which is followed by acrosome reaction and egg fertilization. Here we review the role of mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPK) cascades in spermatogenesis and spermatozoa functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tal Almog
- Department of Biochemistry, George S. Wise Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Ramat Aviv 69978, Israel
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Guo X, Dong H, Zheng K, Luo H, Tan X, Fang Y, Wang Y, Deng Y, Dai C, Lou Y, Shao J, Shi W, Zhao D, Li D. Gene expression profiling under different photoperiod/temperature conditions in a photoperiod-/thermo-sensitive genic male sterile line of rice (Oryza sativa L.). CHINESE SCIENCE BULLETIN-CHINESE 2006. [DOI: 10.1007/s11434-005-1087-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
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