Relationship of transcriptional markers to Leydig cell number in the mouse testis.

• Main Authors: Diane Rebourcet, Ana Monteiro, Lyndsey Cruickshanks, Nathan Jeffery, Sarah Smith, Laura Milne, Peter J O'Shaughnessy, Lee B Smith
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Public Library of Science (PLoS) 2019-01-01
• Series: PLoS ONE
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0219524

<h4>Objectives</h4>The current study aims to identify markers that would reflect the number of Leydig cells present in the testis, to help determine whether labour-intensive methods such as stereology are necessary. We used our well-characterised Sertoli cell ablation model in which we have empirically established the size of the Leydig cell population, to try to identify transcriptional biomarkers indicative of population size.<h4>Results</h4>Following characterisation of the Leydig cell population after Sertoli cell ablation in neonatal life or adulthood, we identified Hsd3b1 transcript levels as a potential indicator of Leydig cell number with utility for informing decision-making on whether to engage in time-consuming stereological cell counting analysis.