Two periods of total testicular regression are peculiar events of the annual reproductive cycle of the black Myotis bat, Myotis nigricans (Chiroptera: Vespertilionidae)
Mateus R. Beguelini A , Rejane M. Góes A , Sebastião R. Taboga A C and Eliana Morielle-Versute B
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations
A Department of Biology, UNESP – Univ Estadual Paulista, São José do Rio Preto, São Paulo 15054-000, Brazil.
B Department of Zoology and Botany, UNESP – Univ Estadual Paulista, São José do Rio Preto, São Paulo 15054-000, Brazil.
C Corresponding author. Email: taboga@ibilce.unesp.br
Reproduction, Fertility and Development 26(6) 834-846 https://doi.org/10.1071/RD13109
Submitted: 4 April 2013 Accepted: 14 May 2013 Published: 8 July 2013
Abstract
Myotis nigricans presents few and controversial reproductive data, which indicate geographical variation in reproduction. Thus, this study aimed to evaluate the seasonal modifications in testicular and epididymal morphologies in a tropical environment, submitting these organs to morphometric and immunohistochemical analysis. The observations revealed that this species presents two peaks of spermatogenic activity followed by two periods of total testicular regression (a quiescent pre-pubertal-like morphology, where only Sertoli cells and spermatogonia could be observed), in the same annual reproductive cycle, which seem to be only indirectly influenced by abiotic factors. This testicular behaviour seems to be synchronised with the caput and corpus epididymidis, but not with the cauda epididymidis, which presents aspects of sperm storage in May–June. The control of this variation seems to be directly linked to the expression of the androgen receptor, since, throughout the year, it is high in periods of testicular recrudescence and low in periods of deactivation. It is not thought to be directly linked to apoptosis, which is more pronounced in periods of recrudescence than in periods of regression.
Additional keywords: recrudescence, reproduction, seasonality, testes.
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