| Objective: To study the relationship between the age-related expression ofepidermal growth factor (EGF) and its receptor (EGFR) and testicular developmentin cynomolgus monkey testes during postnatal development.Materials and Methods: 32 male cynomolgus monkeys (Macaca Fascicularis)were divided into 5 developmental stages according to maturational morphologicalparameters,neonatal (n=5), early infantile (n=5), late infantile (n=7), pubertal (n=7),adult (n=8). Testicular tissues of the monkeys were fixed in Bouin's solution for4-12 hours and embeded in paraffin wax. Sections were cut into 6-μΜthickslices, which were then mounted on slides coated with Poly-L-Lysine.Deparaffinized sections were stained by haematoxylin and eosin. EGF and EGFRwere dectected by immunohistochemistry and computer image analysis system.SPSS 10.0 for windows statistical software package was used to assess thedifference of ratio of positive cells in 5 developmental stages.Results: Both EGF and EGFR were shown to be expressed in cynomolgusmonkey testes during postnatal development. Immunoreactive EGF was mainlylocated in the cytoplasm of spermatogonia and a few Leydig cells, occasionallywas labeled in Sertoli cells. There was significant difference (P<0.01) in the ratioof EGF-positive cells in 5 developmental stages, which was highest in late infantileand lowest in neonatal. Immunoreactive EGFR was located in the cytoplasm ofLeydig cells. No positive stainning was observed in seminiferous tubules. Therewas significant difference (P<0.01) in the ratio of EGFR-positive cells in 5developmental stages, which was highest in neonatal and lowest in early infantile.Conclusion: The variation of EGF and EGFR expression in cynomolgusmonkey testes during postnatal development suggests they may play a role inmorphological development of testis and spermatogenesis. |
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