The present study examined the histological characteristics of adult testis in the long-beaked common dolphin (Delphinus capensis) from Korean waters and the localization of DEAD-box polypeptide 4 (DDX4; a germ cell marker) and vimentin (a Sertoli cell marker) expression in the dolphin testis compared with that in terrestrial mammals, including dogs and rats. The seminiferous tubules of dolphin testis have very small or completely closed lumens, and spermatogenic cells and Sertoli cells within the tubules cannot be differentiated. Immunohistochemical analysis showed that, in the dolphin testis, DDX4- and vimentin-positive cells were scattered extensively within the tubule, whereas in the dog and rat testis, DDX4 immunoreactivity was localized in spermatogenic cells of the adluminal compartment, and vimentin immunoreactivity was localized in Sertoli cells of the basal compartment in the seminiferous epithelium. These results suggest that the histological characteristics of the seminiferous tubules in the dolphin testis differ from those of terrestrial species.

• Juhwan Kim(Depaertment of Veterinary Anatomy)
• Sungwoong Jang(Depaertment of Veterinary Anatomy)
• Yubyeol Jeon(Laboratory of Veterinary Embryology and Biotechnology)
• Du Hae An(Cetacean Research Institute)
• Doo Nam Kim(Cetacean Research Institute)
• Sang-Hwan Hyun(Laboratory of Veterinary Embryology and Biotechnology)
• Changjong Moon(Depaertment of Veterinary Anatomy)