Gonocyte development in rats: proliferation, distribution and death revisited

Spermatogonial stem cells are responsible for the constant production of spermatozoa. These cells differentiate from the gonocytes, but little is known about these cells and their differentiation into spermatogonia. This study analyzed rat gonocyte proliferation, death and distribution as well as their differentiation into spermatogonia. Rat testes were collected at 19 dpc and at 1, 3, 5, 8, 11 and 15 dpp and submitted to apoptosis investigation through morphological analysis and TUNEL, p53 and cleaved caspase 3 labeling. Ki67 and MVH labeling was used to check gonocyte proliferation and quantification, respectively. OCT4 and DBA labeling were used to check gonocyte differentiation. Seminiferous cord length and gonocyte numerical density were measured to check gonocyte distribution along the seminiferous cords. Although a reduction of gonocyte number per testicular section has been observed from 1 to 5 dpp, the total number of these cells did not change. Apoptotic gonocytes were not detected at these ages, suggesting that the reduction in gonocyte number per testicular section was due to their redistribution along the seminiferous cords, which showed continuous growth from 19 dpc to 5 dpp. The first proliferating germ cells were observed at 8 dpp, coinciding with OCT4 upregulation and with the emergence of the first spermatogonia. In conclusion, this study suggests that (a) gonocytes do not die in the first week after birth, but are rather redistributed along the seminiferous cords just before their differentiation into spermatogonia; (b) mitosis resumption and the emergence of the first spermatogonia are coincident with OCT4 upregulation.