Pacap And Its Receptors In The Reproductive Cycle Of Male Lizard Podarcis Sicula

PACAP is a neuropeptide involved in different functions, including vertebrate reproduction. In this work, we investigated the PACAP mRNA expression and the localization of PACAP and its receptors in two different periods of the Podarcis sicula reproductive cycle: reproductive period and summer stasis. Using biomolecular and immunohistochemical investigations, we demonstrated that in both periods PACAP mRNA, PACAP, PAC(1)R and VPAC(2)R were widely distributed in both germ and somatic cells; differently the VPAC(1)R was present within only in Leydig cells. The present results strongly suggest that PACAP and its receptors in Podarcis sicula are probably involved in the control of testis activity.