Kim Heechul, Kang Tae-young, Joo Hong-gu, Shin Taekyun
Department of Veterinary Medicine, Cheju National University, Jeju 690-756, Republic of Korea.
Acta Histochem. 2006;108(6):481-5. doi: 10.1016/j.acthis.2006.09.009. Epub 2006 Nov 7.
The presence and distribution of galectin-3, a beta-galactoside-binding protein, in boar testis and epididymis was studied. Western blot analysis detected galectin-3 in boar testis and epididymis. In particular, intense galectin-3 immunoreaction was seen in the tail of the epididymis, while it was moderate in the head and body. Galectin-3 immunolabelling was detected in the connective tissues of the testis. In the testis, galectin-3 was detected in some cells (presumably peritubular myoid cells), but not in Leydig cells or the cells of the seminiferous tubules. In the epididymis, the galectin-3 immunoreactivity in the connective tissues was the same as in the testis. Intense galectin-3 immunolabelling was seen in the covering epithelium of the epididymis tail, but in very few cells in the head and body. We postulate that galectin-3, immunodetected here in the connective tissues in the male reproductive organs, serves as an extracellular matrix. Furthermore, we postulate that intracellular galectin-3 in the epithelium of the epididymis tail plays a role in either the maintenance of the epithelium or as a source of galectin-3 in the seminal fluid; here it may play a role in sperm activation in the boar reproductive system.
研究了β-半乳糖苷结合蛋白半乳糖凝集素-3在公猪睾丸和附睾中的存在及分布情况。蛋白质免疫印迹分析在公猪睾丸和附睾中检测到了半乳糖凝集素-3。特别是，在附睾尾部观察到强烈的半乳糖凝集素-3免疫反应，而在头部和体部反应适中。在睾丸的结缔组织中检测到了半乳糖凝集素-3免疫标记。在睾丸中，在一些细胞（可能是睾丸肌样细胞）中检测到了半乳糖凝集素-3，但在睾丸间质细胞或生精小管细胞中未检测到。在附睾中，结缔组织中的半乳糖凝集素-3免疫反应性与睾丸中的相同。在附睾尾部的被覆上皮中观察到强烈的半乳糖凝集素-3免疫标记，但在头部和体部的细胞中很少见。我们推测，在此处雄性生殖器官的结缔组织中免疫检测到的半乳糖凝集素-3作为一种细胞外基质发挥作用。此外，我们推测附睾尾部上皮细胞内的半乳糖凝集素-3在维持上皮细胞或作为精液中半乳糖凝集素-3的来源方面发挥作用；在这里它可能在公猪生殖系统的精子激活中发挥作用。
