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Published-Ahead-of-Print April 1, 2006, DOI:10.2164/jandrol.05195
Journal of Andrology, Vol. 27, No. 4, July/August 2006
Copyright © American Society of Andrology
DOI: 10.2164/jandrol.05195

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Journal of Andrology, Vol. 27, No. 4, July/August 2006
Copyright © American Society of Andrology

Reducing Estrogen Synthesis in Developing Boars Increases Testis Size and Total Sperm Production

EEMAN E. AT-TARAS*, TRISH BERGER*, MEGAN J. MCCARTHY*, ALAN J. CONLEY{dagger}, BARBARA J. NITTA-ODA* AND JANET F. ROSER*

From the * Department of Animal Science and the {dagger} Department of Population Health & Reproduction, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, California.

Correspondence to: Dr Janet F. Roser, Department of Animal Science, University of California, One Shields Ave, Davis, CA 95616 (e-mail: jfroser{at}ucdavis.edu).


The abundant production of testicular estrogens and the presence of both ESR1 and ESR2 within boar testes are consistent with a role for estrogen in testicular development and/or function in this species. This study was aimed at determining the role of endogenous estrogen in the regulation of testicular development and function, including the effects on testis weight, histology, sperm production (detergent-resistant spermatid numbers), Sertoli cell numbers, and Leydig cell volume in the boar. Twenty-eight littermate pairs of boars were assigned to groups as follows: 1 boar from each pair was assigned to the control group (vehicle) and the other was assigned to treatment and received 0.1 mg/kg body weight of an aromatase enzyme inhibitor (letrozole) orally each week beginning at 1 week of age until castration at 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, or 8 months of age. Testes were weighed and testicular parenchyma was recovered for determination of histology and detergent-resistant spermatid numbers, and for determination of Sertoli cell number and Leydig cell volume by staining for GATA-4 and 17-{alpha} hydroxylase/17-20 lyase respectively. Testes of aromatase-inhibited boars initially exhibited delayed lumen formation, lower testicular weight, fewer detergentresistant spermatids, and fewer Sertoli cells, but by 7 to 8 months, these boars had recovered and had larger testes, more detergentresistant spermatids per testis, and more Sertoli cells. Total Leydig cell volume increased in proportion to testis size. Reducing endogenous estrogen is consistent with a delay in testicular maturation/puberty that allows for a longer window for the proliferation of Sertoli cells and maturation of Leydig cells, resulting in larger testes and higher spermatid production.

     Key words: Aromatase inhibition, Sertoli cell, Leydig cell




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C. A Pearl, E. At-Taras, T. Berger, and J. F Roser
Reduced endogenous estrogen delays epididymal development but has no effect on efferent duct morphology in boars
Reproduction, October 1, 2007; 134(4): 593 - 604.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


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