<i>In Vitro</i> and <i>In Vivo</i> Determinations of The Anti-GDNF Family Receptor Alpha 1 Antibody in Mice by Immunochemistry and RT-PCR.

Abstract

BACKGROUND: The glial cell-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) family plays essential roles in the maintenance, growth, regulatory and signalling pathways of spermatogonial stem cells (SSCs). In this study, we analysed the expression of anti-GDNF family receptor alpha 1 antibody (GFRa1) by immunohistochemistry (IHC), immunocytochemistry (ICC), Fluidigm real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and flow cytometry analyses. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this experiment study, ICC, IHC, Fluidigm RT-PCR and flow cytometry were used to analyse the expression of the germ cell marker GFRa1 in testis tissue and SSC culture. RESULTS: in the SSCs compared to testicular stromal cells (TSCs). Flow cytometry analysis demonstrated that about 75% of the isolated SSCs colonies were positive for GFRa1. CONCLUSION: The results indicated that GFRa1 had a specific expression pattern both in vivo and in vitro. This finding could be helpful for understanding the proliferation, maintenance and signalling pathways of SSCs, and differentiation of meiotic and haploid germ cells.