Journal of Cytology & Histology

Comparative Immunohistochemical Analysis of VASA, PLZF and THY1 in Goats and Sheep Suggests that these Markers are also Conserved in these Species

Abstract

Bahadorani M, Hosseini SM, Abedi P, Hajian M, Afrough M, Azhdari Tafti Z, Azizi H, Hosseini SE, Vahdati A, Baharvand H and Mohammad H Nasr-Esfahani

Spermatogenesis is supported by a certain type of stem cell known as spermatogonial stem cell (SSC), which transforms information to the next generation. There is currently a wide acceptance of the great potential applications of SSCs for infertility treatment and production of transgenic farm animals. However, rodents are the only thoroughly studied mammals with respect to SSCs due to presence of specific antibodies for SSC markers such as PLZF and THY1 or germ cell marker such as VASA. However, limited information is available about the specific markers of SSCs in farm animals. Moreover, while it is generally believed that stem cell markers are mainly conserved among mammalian species, it is not clear if SSC markers have also remained conserved during species evolution. Through comparative immunohistochemical analysis of testis tissue of sheep, and goats with mice, rats and cattle, for which the original antibodies were rose, this study suggests that, despite the long evolutionary distance which exists between rodents and farm animals, germ cells and SSC markers may have remained conserved between these species. In addition, the results of this study suggest that these antibodies can be used to isolate, propagate and further explore SSCs in goat or sheep and possibly other species.