Morphology and lectin histochemistry of the testes of brown-banded bamboo shark (chiloscyllium punctatum) [electronic resource].

Includes references.

The testes of three brown-banded bamboo male sharks collected from Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium, Japan were used in this study. The testes were studied grossly and microscopically. In addition, conventional and lectin histochemistry (panel of 8 HRP lectins, UEA-I, DBA, LCA, PNA, ConA, PHA-E4, WGA and RCA 120) were applied for studying the glycoconjugates. The testes are suspended to the dorsal wall by mesorchium. They are covered ventromedially by the epigonal organ (Hematopoietic organ). The testis is divided into germinal, spermatogonial, spermatocytes, spermatid, spermatozoal and degenerative zones. Analysis of the sugar binding-Iectins in the shark testes revealed the presence of all sugars under investigation, although they varied in distribution throughout the different zones. The germinal zone was not labeled to any sugar, while the spermatogonial zone was labeled to galactosamine. The spermatocyte zone was labeled to glucose, galactose and glucosamine within the Leydig cells, while the spermatocysts were labeled only to the galactose and glucoseamine. The spermatocyst of the spermatide zone was similar to that of the spermatocyte zone while the Leydig cells were labeled to all sugars under investigation. The spermatozoal zone was labeled to all sugars under investigation either to the spermatocyst or to the Leydig cells. At the degenerative zone, Leydig cells were labeled to all sugars under investigation while the spermatocyst was labeled to glucose and glucosamine only. In conclusion, our results indicate that the structure of the testes of the brownbanded bamboo shark simulate that of the cartilaginous fish.

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