Cell-cell interactions in the testis of the dogfish: stage-related changes in protein synthesis.

Previous studies have shown that the testis of Selachians is a very suited model to study stage-dependent changes in Sertoli cells during spermatogenesis (Dubois and Callard 1989; Sourdaine et al. 1990). In the dogfish testis (here: Scyliorhinus canicula), germ cells, at an identical stage of spermatogenesis, are associated with Sertoli cells to form spermatocysts, which are arranged in zones corresponding to the different stages of spermatogenesis. Using previously described methods for the isolation and culture of spermatocysts from four spermatogenic stages (spermatogonia, spermatocytes, early spermatids and late spermatids; Sourdaine and Jégou 1989; Sourdaine and Garnier 1992) and electrophoresis techniques (1D and 2D-SDS-PAGE) we have investigated the [(35)S] methionine incorporation into proteins in the dogfish testis. Our results indicate that protein synthesis reaches a maximum in spermatocysts with spermatocytes. Marked stage-related changes of protein synthesis and secretion were also observed on the autoradiograms of 1D and 2D-SDS-PAGE. Further investigations of the paracrine control of germ cells on Sertoli cell protein synthesis requires the identification of specific Sertoli cell proteins in the dogfish.