Studies on Spermatogenesis and Steroidogenesis in Culture

This paper summarizes the major pertinent findings of previouslypublished work and includes new experimental data. Culture conditionshave been defined for long-term maintenance of basic testicularstructure, primitive type A spermatogonia, and Sertoli cells.The primitive type A spermatogonia grown for 8 weeks in organculture were capable of restoring complete spermatogenesis afterthe cultures were transplanted into the testes of sexually maturehomologous hosts. Since the primitive type A spermatogonia werethe only germinal elements present in the organ cultures atthe time of transplantation, they probably represent the spermatogenicstem cells. Differentiation of gonocytes or spermatogonia tospermatocytes in late pachytene stage required presence of vitaminsA, C, and E or 4 mM concentration of glutamine in the mediumbut was not affected by hormones. The replication of Sertolicells in vivo and in organ culture was shown to be age relatedand hormone independent. The Sertoli cells possess specificFSH binding receptors and respond to FSH with increased synthesisof c-AMP and androgen-binding protein. The biologic functionof FSH in the Sertoli cells remains to be clarified. Other cellularcomponents of the testis, the germinal, or peritubular cellsdo not bind FSH. In organ cultures of testicular tissue or Leydig-cellcultures all enzymes in the steroid biosynthetic pathway, leadingfrom progesterone to testosterone, remain active for severaldays. In older cultures, the conversion of progesterone to testosteronebecomes impaired primarily due to loss of two specific enzymes:17 hydroxylase and 17-20 lyase. Addition of HCG to monolayercultures of Leydig cells stimulated both the synthesis and releaseof testosterone.     

雄性弯角长角羚和普通大羚羊激素分泌模式与社会等级和季节的关系

为了确定羚羊类固醇激素分泌模式与行为和社群等级的关系,我们检测了成年雄性弯角长角羚(n=15)和普通大羚羊(n=11)的粪样皮质酮和睾酮浓度.采用随意取样和目标取样法记录了共650 h的行为.结果发现,两种羚羊的睾酮水平在雌性的发情时段里都是最高的.两种羚羊皮质激素水平有季节性变化,表现为雨季皮质酮水平高于干旱季节.优势胁迫作用明显存在于普通大羚羊,而在弯角长角羚不明显.没有证据表明从属个体压力的存在,一只弯角长角羚曾经是优势个体,但是后来有两年不是优势个体,与其他雄羚相比,这只雄羚在雌性发情期的睾酮和皮质酮水平有3个交迭出现的峰值.     

季节变化对沙漠生态系统土壤中自由生活线虫和原生动物间营养关系的影响

选择沙漠常绿灌木丛枝霸王(Zygophyllum dumosum)群落及群落间的开阔地带采样,研究土壤线虫和原生动物的种群大小、物种组成及营养结构.本研究共获线虫29属,裸变形虫33属90种;在所获各类原生动物中,鞭毛虫和纤毛虫均为食细菌类群,而鞭毛虫个体数量最多;在沙漠生态系统中,土壤湿度被认为是影响生物活性的最重要因素之一.然而,本研究显示:土壤湿度对线虫和原生动物是否重要取决于这些动物对土壤湿度的生理生态适应能力;土壤线虫和原生动物的体型大小、生活史策略和活动能力与土壤湿度的有效性相关不显著,但它们对微生物和微小土壤动物区系间的相互作用有重要影响,在干旱生态系统中,这种影响能够显著改变土壤生态系统短期的养分循环.本研究还表明,土壤线虫和原生动物种群间的关系主要取决于两者营养类群组成的变化.