spacer gif spacer gif spacer gif spacer gif ARCHIVE ANNOUNCEMENT! spacer gif
QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced]


spacer gif
     Home     Help     Feedback     Subscriptions     Archive     Search     Table of Contents    

This Article
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrow reprints & permissions
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by van Vorstenbosch, C. J.
Right arrow Articles by Wensing, C. J.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by van Vorstenbosch, C. J.
Right arrow Articles by Wensing, C. J.

Development, Vol 99, Issue 4 553-563, Copyright © 1987 by Company of Biologists

JOURNAL ARTICLES

The ultrastructure of normal fetal and neonatal pig testis germ cells and the influence of fetal decapitation on the germ cell development

CJ van Vorstenbosch, E Spek, B Colenbrander and CJ Wensing
Department of Anatomy, School of Veterinary Medicine, Rijksuniversiteit Utrecht, The Netherlands.

The development of germ cells in the male pig was investigated ultrastructurally in normal and decapitated fetuses. The age ranged respectively from 30 days p.c. till one month after birth and from 52 days p.c. until birth. The ultrastructural organization of the germ cells changes dramatically between 30 days p.c. and 52 days p.c. which coincides with the formation of 'true' sex cords. From 52 days p.c. onwards the morphology is rather stable: cells show a 'hydrated' appearance and typical cell bridges. There is no obvious difference in the ultrastructure of germ cells in decapitated animals, their normal littermates and control animals. Therefore germ cell development in the pig is likely to be insensitive to gonadotropins during the fetal period. The development of pig germ cells follows closely the pattern described for several species. Quantitatively there is an increase in the ratio of germ cell/Sertoli cell per cross sectional diameter in the decapitated animals.




© The Company of Biologists Ltd 1987