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Figure 5. Expression of SOX9 mRNA and protein in the Xenopus tropicalis adult male gonad. A-D: Histological cross-section of X. tropicalis male gonad at the adult stage. A: Cross-section showing that the testis is composed of seminiferous tubules. B-D: Details of different areas within the seminiferous tubules in A showing different stages of cyst differentiation each cyst being surrounded by supporting cells (arrowheads). B: Cyst of primary spermatocytes. C: Cyst of secondary spermatocytes. D: Spermatid. E-G: In situ hybridization with the antisense mRNASox9 probe. E: Section showing that SOX9 expression is maintained in the adult male gonad. F: Detail of the region indicated by the square in E shows that SOX9 expression was detected inside seminiferous tubules only. G: The 3 beta -hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (3- beta -HSDH) enzymatic reaction on adjacent sections showing that steroidogenic activity is located in the interstitial tissue, which surrounds the seminiferous tubules. H-M: Immunodetection of SOX9 protein in the male gonad at the same stage. H,J: Cryosection stained with anti-SOX9 antibody (green) and counterstained with Hoechst (blue). I,K: High magnifications of the portions from H, J respectively showing the SOX9 signal is restricted to nuclei of the supporting cells (indicated by arrowheads) irrespective of the stage of the germ cells. L: Overlap of images H and J. M: Overlap of images I and K. IT, interstitial tissue; SI, primary spermatocytes; SII, secondary spermatocytes; Sd, spermatid; ST, seminiferous tubules. Scale bars = 50 mu m in A,F-H,J,L, 30 mu m in B-D, 150 mu m in L, 30 mu m in I,K,M. |
