[doi: 10.5505/2017ichc.OP-18]

Immunohistochemical localization of certain nervous system markers on the testis and epididymis of rat during postnatal period

Feyzullah Beyaz1, Emel Ergün2, Mehmet Özbek2, Levent Ergün2
1Erciyes University, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Histology and Embryology, Kayseri, Turkey
2Ankara University, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Histology and Embryology, Ankara, Turkey

The aim of this study was to invastigate the immunohistochemical localization of certain nervous system markers such as parvalbumin, synaptophysin, calretinin, drebrin, CNPase, NG2, COX2 and Iba-1 on testis and epididymis of rat during postnatal period using an immunohistochemical method. In experiment, postnatal Wistar albino rats divided four groups. Groups were designed for prepubertal (5 days old), pubertal (20 days old), postpubertal (50 days old) and adult (70 days old). A positive reaction for parvalbumin was in gonocytes at 5 days old rats, in acrosomes of spermatids, residuel bodies and epithelium of ductus epididymis at 50 and 70 days old rats. Immunoreactivity for synaptophysin was seen in peritubular myoid cells and myofibroblasts surrounding epididymal ducts at all ages of rats. Moreover additional labeling was determined as a granular staining in Sertoli cells and apical cytoplasm of principal cells in the epithelium of cauda epididymidis at 50 and 70 days old rats. A positive reaction for calretinin was in gonocytes at the 5 days old rats. Furthermore, acrosome of spermatids, residuel bodies, Leydig cells, cytoplasm of apical, basal and princible cells were stained at 20, 50 and 70 days old rats. Immunoreactivity for CNPase was in gonocytes and Leydig cells at 5 days old rats. Moreover, acrosomes of spermatids, cytoplasm of germ cells, spermatozoa, residuel bodies, Leydig cells and apical cytoplasm of principal cell in ductus epididymis were stained with anti-CNPase primary antibody at 20, 50 and 70 days old rats. A positive immunoreaction for drebrin was seen in gonocytes at the 5 days old rats. Sertoli cells, Leydig cells and spermatozoa in testis and principle cells, basal cells and narrow cells in ductus epididiymis was stained with drebrin at 50 and 70 days old rats. We determined a positive labeling for NG2 in cytoplasm of apical and basal cells in ductus epididymis at 50 and 70 days old rats. This study firstly demonstrates the immunohistochemical expression of certain nervous system markers such as parvalbumin, synaptophysin, calretinin, drebrin, CNPase, NG2, COX2 and Iba-1 on testis and epididymis of rat during postnatal period and discusses their functional relationship.