Receptor tyrosine kinase c-Kit, a marker found on interstitial cells of Cajal (ICCs), is expressed in Leydig cells, which are testicular interstitial cells. The expression of other ICC markers has not yet been reported. In this study, we investigated the expression of c-Kit and anoctamin 1 (ANO1), another ICC marker, in mouse testes. In addition, the relationship between c-Kit and ANO1 expression and Leydig cell function was investigated. We observed that c-Kit and ANO1 were predominantly expressed in mouse Leydig cells. The mRNA and protein of c-Kit and ANO1 were expressed in TM3, a mouse Leydig cell line. LH induced an increase in intracellular Ca2+ concentration, membrane depolarization, and testosterone secretion, whereas these signals were inhibited in the presence of c-Kit and ANO1 inhibitors. These results show that c-Kit and ANO1 are expressed in Leydig cells and are involved in testosterone secretion. Our findings suggest that Leydig cells may act as ICCs in testosterone secretion.

The purpose of this study is to expression pattern of melanogenesis associate genes on cultured melanocyte layer cells in Korean Brindle Cattle(Dark, Brindle and Yellow) were analyzed to evaluate the effects of sex hormones on the control of melanogenesis pathways. Korean Brindle Cattle(Dark, Brindle and Yellow) melanocyte in the skin cells was collected. after the addition of estrogen and testosterone, the culture was analyzed for expression of cell activity and melanin genes for 72 hours. For the analysis of estrogen in different coat color other than the melanogenesis-related genes it is increasingly yellow showed low expression. in particular, the cells of the brindle coat color is low active and expression of genes. However, the testosterone was low, the expression of cell activity inhibiting MMP-2. the expression of melanin genes actually showed a tendency to increase gradually, which is testosterone compared with the estrogen to be considered that affect the skin cell layer brindle coat color. In this study, stimulation with estrogen triggered the inhibition of MC1R of the melanocyte in brindle coat color, but testosterone is induced MC1R in melanocyte. Therefore, considered the eumelanin or phaeomelanin activation are controlled caused by differential expression of sex hormones on melanocyte in Korean Brindle Cattle.

The lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) show in benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). The three major micturition centers in brain are pontine micturition center (PMC), ventrolateral periaqueductal gray (vlPAG), and medial preopticnucleus (MPA) regions. Previous study showed that c-Fos expression change was associated with LUTS. In present study, the effect of P. ginseng on c-Fos expression in PMC, vlPAG, and MPA regions in rat brain was tested. P. ginseng is the four year-old Korean ginseng. It was collected at the department of medicinal crop research (Eumsunggun, Chungbuk, Korea) in September 2010. The four groups (n = 6) are control group, BPH-induced group, BPHinduced and P. ginseng-treated group, and BPH-induced and finasteride-treated group. BPH in rats was induced by testosterone. After 4 weeks, all animals were sacrificed to evaluate c-Fos expression in PMC, vlPAG, and MPA regions in rat brain. The c-Fos expression was evaluated in the regions of rat brain by immunohistochemistry (IHC). Present results showed that c-Fos expressions in PMC, vl-PAG, and MPA regions in brain of rats in the BPH-induced group were higher compared to c-fos expression of the control group. The increased c-Fos expression in three regions (PMC, vlPAG, and MPA) were decreased by treatment with P. ginseng (200 mg/kg). These results suggest that P. ginseng has an inhibitory effect on the symptoms of BPH and is associated with regulation of c-Fos expression in the brain in a testosterone induced BPH rat model.

Endocrine system of hormones is the critical factor for the development of testes. The levels of hormones are orchestrated by a positive or negative feedback system controlled by the hyphothalamic-pituitary-gonad axis. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of unbalanced endocrine system induced by the hemi-castration on testicular development in stallions. Four Thoroughbred stallions (age ranging from 3 to 5 yr) were used in this study. To disturb endocrine system, hemicastration has been performed on the stallions. Several parameters including testicular weight, volume, germ cell population on the cross-sections of round tubule, and the area of seminiferous tubules of stallion testes collected at the 1st hemi-castration and the 2nd hemi-castration (about 1 year after 1st hemi-castration) were compared. Testosterone levels were compared for 3 weeks before, after 1st castration, and before 2nd castration using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) analysis. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) procedure was conducted to compare germ cell populations between after 1st and 2nd castration using VASA antibody. The VASA positive cell population per a cross section of round seminiferous tubule was obtained by monitoring 100 tubules. Interestingly, the weight of testes obtained at 2nd hemi-castration (384±14 g) were significantly higher compared to that of testes collected at the 1st hemi-castration (288±34 g). The volume of testes (306±34 ml) collected at the 2nd hemi-castration was higher than that of testes (169±18 ml) collected at the 1st castration. In contrast, VASA positive germ cell population on the cross section of round tubule (124.9±12.4 vs 142.9±21.6) and the area of round tubule (124±9.7 vs 122.9±1.7 mm2) were not different after 1st castration and 2nd castration. the testosterone levels in the blood collected before, after 1st castration, and before 2nd castration were not significantly different. In conclusion, the hemi-castration induces testicular development to maintain the normal reproductive systems in stallions.

Procymidone is a fungicide with anti-androgenic properties widely used to protect fruits from fungal infection, which induces an excessive reactive oxygen species production in male reproductive organs. In this study, to clarify whether procymidone affect the cellular antioxidant system of prostate at onset of puberty, gene expression patterns of the representative antioxidant enzymes such as cytoplasmic glutathione peroxidase (GPx1), phospholipid hydroperoxide GPx (PHGPx), selenoprotein P (SePP), cytoplasmic copper/zinc superoxide dismutase (SOD1), and manganese SOD (SOD2) were investigated in the rat ventral prostates exposed to procymidone using real-time RT-PCR analyses. Seven-week-old Sprague-Dawley rats castrated at 6 weeks old were treated with procymidone (25, 50, or 100 mg/kg per day) orally for 7 consecutive days after testosterone propionate (0.4 mg/kg per day) administration by subcutaneous injection. As compared to normal control animals, GPx1 mRNA expression in prostates significantly increased by the administration with TP and/or procymidone. However, PHGPx and SOD1 mRNA levels significanatly decreased by over 25 mg/kg of procymidone treatment and SePP and SOD2 mRNA levels was significanatly reduced by over 50 mg/kg of procymidone treatment. These findings indicate that procymidone may affect the antioxidant system of prostatic cells in up-regulation mode of GPx1, but in down-regulation modes of PHGPx, SePP, SOD1, and SOD2, suggesting that procymidone may affect differently the cellular antioxidant system of prostate according to the exposure doses.

Cordyceps militaris (CM) has been used as a traditional folk medicine to strengthen the immune system and regain energy in Far East Asian countries. Some of men have been suffered from the insufficient secretion of testosterone causing by physical factors, social and psychological factors. Testosterone is an essential steroid hormone controlling male reproductive function. Alternative medicines in plants, fungi, and insects have been studied to enhance sexuality. Cordyceps species including Cordyceps sinensis and C. militaris has been used as for the enhancement of sexual function for hundreds of years. In the present study, we determined the effect of fruiting bodies of C. militaris which cultured on bee drone medium (DCM) on testosterone concentration in Sprague-Dawley rats. Eighteen rats per group were housed to regular diet or diet supplemented with DCM for 4 weeks. Serum was collected from 6 rats per group. Results showed that changes of the body weight, food and water intake of the rats were not observed in this study. However, DCM significantly stimulated testosterone production (p < 0.05) compared to the control. Hence, it suggests that fruiting bodies of C. militaris grown on the bee drone medium might be developed as a complementary medicine to improve sexual hormones.

본 연구는 종모돈의 정액성상 동결-융해 후 정자의 생존성 그리고 혈청 중 FSH, LH, estradiol-17β 및 testosterone 농도에 미치는 품종과 계절의 영향을 조사하여 우수한 종모돈의 선발을 위한 기초자료를 얻고자 실시하였다. 요크셔종이 듀록종보다 봄, 여름, 가을, 겨울에서 정액량이 많았으며, 정액농도에서는 차이가 없었다. 계절별 정액량은 듀록 및 요크셔종에서 봄철이 여름, 가을 및 겨울철에 비하여 많았고, 정자농도는 차이가 없었다. 듀록종과 요크셔종에서 각각 봄철에 생산한 정자가 여름, 가을 및 겨울철에 생산한 정자보다 동결-융해 후 정자운동성 및 정상첨체 비율이 높았다. 한편 듀록종과 요크셔종에서 동결-융해 후 정자운동성은 모든 계절에서 요크셔종이 높게 나타났으나, 정상첨체에서는 차이가 없었다. 혈청 중 FSH의 농도를 비교한 결과 요크셔종이 듀록종보다 모든 계절에서 낮은 농도를 나타내었다. 그러나 두 품종 모두에서 각각 계절 간에 차이가 없었다. 혈청 중 LH와 estradiol-17β의 농도를 비교한 결과 요크셔종과 듀록종 간에 차이가 없었다. 또한 두 품종 모두에서 계절 간에 차이가 없었다. 종모돈의 품종별, 계절별 혈청 중 testosterone의 농도를 비교한 결과 요크셔종이 듀록종보다 모든 계절에서 높게 나타났다. 또한 두품종 모두에서 각각 봄철이 여름, 가을 및 겨울철에 비하여 혈청 중 testosterone의 농도가 높은 것으로 나타났다. 이상의 결과를 종합하여 보면, FSH의 농도가 낮을수록 정액생산량이 높은 것으로 나타났으며, 혈청 중 testosterone의 농도가 높을수록 동결-융해 정자의 운동성 및 정상첨체의 비율이 높은 것으로 나타났다.

Various pesticides known or suspected to interfere with steroid hormone function were screened toy effects in leydig cells on catalytic activity and mRNA expression of aromatase. Dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) is a widespread environmental pollutan

This study was perfomed to investigate the differentiation of rabbit blastocysts microinjected with testosterone solution. A total of 140 mixed breed does was superovulated, synchronized and hand mated. The eggs were flushed from uterine horns between 65 and 89 hrs after mating. Testosterone was dissolved in 95% ethanol and diluted with PBS at the ratio of 1: 99. Final concentration of testosterone was adjusted to 1 pg /ml. 6~8 bias-tocysts were microinjected with 1~10 p Q of the diluted testosterone solution, and tranfer-red into the uterine horns of the synchronized recipients. When 140 donor does were treat-ed with a single does of 200 IU PMSG in combination with 100 IU RCG 48 hrs apart, 134 of them(97%) showed standing estrus. Ovarian responses of 117 does were examined following mating and the rate of ovulation was 11.23 i 1.20. Ova were recovered from donors between 65 and 89 hrs after mating. Recovery rates of ova were 37.5% and 42.2% of recovered ova were blastocysts. A total of 106 blastsocysts were microinjected with testosterone solution and transferred into the uterine horns of 15 synchronized recipient does. One of the recipients was pregnant and delivered 7 baby rabbits. The external genitalia of the young rabbits appered to be the same appearance as the buck entierly.