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ARS Home » Plains Area » Clay Center, Nebraska » U.S. Meat Animal Research Center » Livestock Bio-Systems » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #128307
Title: STEREOLOGICAL EVALUATION OF SERTOLI CELL ONTOGENY DURING FETAL AND NEONATAL LIFE IN TWO DIVERSE BREEDS OF SWINE

Author
item MCCOARD, SUSAN - FORMER ARS EMPLOYEE
item Wise, Thomas
item Lunstra, Donald
item Ford, Johny

Submitted to: Journal of Endocrinology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/30/2003
Publication Date: 9/20/2003
Citation: MCCOARD, S.A., WISE, T.H., LUNSTRA, D.D., FORD, J.J. 2003. STEREOLOGICAL EVALUATION OF SERTOLI CELL ONTOGENY DURING FETAL AND NEONATAL LIFE IN TWO DIVERSE BREEDS OF SWINE. JOURNAL OF ENDOCRINOLOGY. 178(3):395-403.

Interpretive Summary: The U.S. swine industry rapidly adopted artificial insemination during the past decade thereby creating demand for boars that produce greater quantities of sperm. Studies were conducted during late gestation and early postnatal life comparing testicular traits in Meishan (MS) boars (a breed with small testes and low sperm production) with White Composite (WC) )boars (a line with large testes and high sperm production). Testicular weight was greater in WC boars at all ages evaluated from 60 days of gestation through 25 days of age, and this increase was associated with a greater mass of interstitial tissue (the steroid producing compartment). Seminiferous tubules (the sperm producing compartment) and Sertoli cells increased in parallel in both breeds during late gestation, but during early postnatal life MS boars had a more rapid rate of increase in these two testicular traits. At 14 and 25 days of age, WC boars had more Sertoli icells that were undergoing proliferation. We conclude the WC boars have larger testes because the proliferation stage of Sertoli cells is prolonged compared with MS boars.

Technical Abstract: Mature Chinese Meishan (MS) boars have smaller testes resulting from fewer Sertoli cells compared to White Composite (WC) boars, offering a unique model to study factors that regulate Sertoli cell number in boars. The objective of this study was to describe Sertoli cell development during fetal and neonatal life in MS and WC boars using direct stereological techniques. Testes were collected on days 60, 75, 90 and 105 postcoitum (dpc) and 1, 7, 14 and 25 postpartum (dpp), fixed in 4% paraformaldehyde and embedded in paraffin wax. Sections of testicular tissue (5 um) were immunostained for Gata4 or Ki67 antigen to evaluate total and proliferating Sertoli cell numbers, respectively. Testicular size was greater in WC than MS boars at all ages, associated with greater mass of interstitial tissue. Mass of seminiferous tubules was greater (P < 0.01) in prenatal WC boars, but postnatally, tubular mass increased more rapidly in MS boars exceeding (P < 0.001) WC boars by 25 dpp. Sertoli cell number increased with age (P < 0.001), was greater (P < 0.001) in prenatal WC boars, and increased (P < 0.01) more rapidly in postnatal MS boars. Maximal proportion of proliferating Sertoli cells occurred at 90 dpc declining thereafter (P < 0.01). Proportion of proliferating Sertoli cells did not differ between breeds through 7 dpp, but was greater in WC than MS boars at 14 and 25 dpp highlighting a difference in developmental potential. Based on these results it was concluded that differential timing of Sertoli cell maturation and subsequent formation of the blood testis barrier appear to determine the full complement of Sertoli cells in boars by regulating duration of mitogenesis.