Changes in lectin-binding sites on epididymal cells during postnatal development of the mouse |
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Authors: | Tajiri Shota Fukui Tatsuya Sawaguchi Akira Yoshinaga Kazuya |
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Institution: | Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Graduate School of Health Sciences, Kumamoto University, 4-24-1 Kuhonji, Kumamoto 862-0975, Japan. |
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Abstract: | Using lectin histochemistry combined with immunohistochemistry, we recently demonstrated that the principal, clear, and basal cells in the adult mouse epididymis specifically react with UEA-I, MAL-I, and GS-IB lectins, respectively. The present study examined the distribution of the lectin-binding sites for some lectins on the epididymal epithelium during postnatal development. Galactose staining with GS-IB was first detected in some of the undifferentiated epithelial cells in mice aged 1 week, and this characteristic became specific to basal cells in mice aged 2 weeks and above. Fucose staining with UEA-I was first detected in the principal cells in mice aged 3 weeks. Staining of sialic acid with MAL-I was first detected in all undifferentiated epithelial cells in mice aged 1 week, and this characteristic became specific to the narrow and clear cells in all regions and to the principal cells in regions IV and V in mice aged 3 weeks. The results indicate that epididymal differentiation is characterized by the expression of cell- and region-specific sugar chains that appear early during postnatal development before the sperm arrives in the epididymis. |
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