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Zinc is an essential trace element for spermatogenesis.
- Source :
-
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America [Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A] 2009 Jun 30; Vol. 106 (26), pp. 10859-64. Date of Electronic Publication: 2009 Jun 18. - Publication Year :
- 2009
-
Abstract
- Zinc (Zn) plays important roles in various biological activities but there is little available information regarding its functions in spermatogenesis. In our current study, we further examined the role of Zn during spermatogenesis in the Japanese eel (Anguilla japonica). Human CG (hCG) was injected into the animals to induce spermatogenesis, after which the concentration of Zn in the testis increased in tandem with the progression of spermatogenesis. Staining of testicular cells with a Zn-specific fluorescent probe revealed that Zn accumulates in germ cells, particularly in the mitochondria of spermatogonia and spermatozoa. Using an in vitro testicular organ culture system for the Japanese eel, production of a Zn deficiency by chelation with N,N,N',N'-tetrakis (2-pyridylemethyl)ethylenediamine (TPEN) caused apoptosis of the germ cells. However, this cell death was rescued by the addition of Zn to the cultures. Furthermore, an induced deficiency of Zn by TPEN chelation was found to inhibit the germ cell proliferation induced by 11-ketotestosterone (KT), a fish specific androgen, 17alpha,20beta-dihydroxy-4-pregnen-3-one (DHP), the initiator of meiosis in fish, and estradiol-17beta (E2), an inducer of spermatogonial stem-cell renewal. We also investigated the effects of Zn deficiency on sperm motility and observed that TPEN treatment of eel sperm suppressed the rate and duration of their motility but that co-treatment with Zn blocked the effects of TPEN. Our present results thus suggest that Zn is an essential trace element for the maintenance of germ cells, the progression spermatogenesis, and the regulation of sperm motility.
- Subjects :
- Anguilla metabolism
Anguilla physiology
Animals
Apoptosis drug effects
Cell Proliferation drug effects
Chelating Agents pharmacology
Chorionic Gonadotropin pharmacology
Estradiol pharmacology
Ethylenediamines pharmacology
Humans
Hydroxyprogesterones pharmacology
In Situ Nick-End Labeling
Male
Organ Culture Techniques
Sertoli Cells metabolism
Sperm Motility drug effects
Sperm Motility physiology
Spermatids metabolism
Spermatocytes metabolism
Spermatogenesis drug effects
Spermatogonia metabolism
Spermatozoa metabolism
Testis cytology
Testis metabolism
Testosterone analogs & derivatives
Testosterone pharmacology
Time Factors
Trace Elements deficiency
Trace Elements pharmacology
Zinc deficiency
Zinc pharmacology
Spermatogenesis physiology
Trace Elements metabolism
Zinc metabolism
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 1091-6490
- Volume :
- 106
- Issue :
- 26
- Database :
- MEDLINE
- Journal :
- Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 19541612
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.0900602106