Histochemical analysis of glycoconjugates in the domestic cat testis.

Summary. The localization and characterization of oligosaccharide sequences in the cat testis was investigated using 12 lectins in combination with the s-elimination reaction, N-Glycosidase F and sialidase digestion. Leydig cells expressed O-linked glycans with terminal alphaGalNAc (HPA reactivity) and N-glycans with terminal/internal aMan (Con A affinity). The basement membrane showed terminal Neu5Acalpha2,6Gal/GalNAc, Gals1,3GalNAc, alpha/sGalNAc, and GlcNAc (SNA, PNA, HPA, SBA, GSA II reactivity) in O-linked oligo-saccharides, terminal Gals1,4GlcNAc (RCA120 staining) and alphaMan in N-linked oligosaccharides; in addition, terminal Neu5acalpha2,3Gals1,4GlcNac, Forssman pentasaccharide, alphaGal, alphaL-Fuc and internal GlcNAc (MAL II, DBA, GSA I-B4, UEA I, KOH-sialidase-WGA affinity) formed both O- and N-linked oligosaccharides. The Sertoli cells cytoplasm contained terminal Neu5Ac-Gals1,4GlcNAc, Neu5Ac-sGalNAc as well as internal GlcNAc in O-linked glycans, alphaMan in N-linked glycoproteins and terminal Neu5Acalpha2,6Gal/GalNAc in both O- and N-linked oligosaccharides. Spermatogonia exhibited cytoplasmic N-linked glycoproteins with aMan residues. The spermatocytes cytoplasm expressed terminal Neu5acalpha2,3Gals1,4GlcNAc and Gals1,3GalNAc in O-linked oligo-saccharides, terminal Gals1,4GlcNAc and alpha/sGalNAc in N-linked glycoconjugates. The Golgi region showed terminal Neu5acalpha2,3Gals1,4GlcNac, Gals1,4GlcNAc, Forssman pentasaccharide, and alphaGalNAc in O-linked oligosaccharides, alphaMan and terminal sGal in N-linked oligosaccharides. The acrosomes of Golgi-phase spermatids expressed terminal Gals1,3GalNAc, Gals1,4GlcNAc, Forssmann pentasaccharide, alpha/sGalNAc, alphaGal and internal GlcNAc in O-linked oligosaccharides, terminal alpha/sGalNAc, alphaGal and terminal/internal alphaMan in N-linked glycoproteins. The acrosomes of cap-phase spermatids lacked internal Forssman pentasaccharide and alphaGal, while having increased alpha/sGalNAc. The acrosomes of elongated spermatids did not show terminal Gals1,3GalNAc, displayed terminal Gals1,4GlcNAc and alpha/sGalNAc in N-glycans and Neu5Ac-Gals1,3GalNAc in O-linked oligosaccharides. Histol Histopathol 21, 11-22 (2006)