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Journal of Histochemistry and Cytochemistry, Vol. 51, 809-819, June 2003, Copyright © 2003, The Histochemical Society, Inc.

ARTICLE

Brain Synaptic Junctional Proteins at the Acrosome of Rat Testicular Germ Cells

Peter Redeckera, Michael R. Kreutzb, Jürgen Bockmannc, Eckart D. Gundelfingerb, and Tobias M. Boeckersb,c
a Department of Anatomy 1, Medical School of Hannover, Hannover, Germany
b AG Molecular Mechanisms of Plasticity, Department of Neurochemistry and Molecular Biology, Leibniz Institute for Neurobiology, Magdeburg, Germany
c Institute for Anatomy, AG Molecular Neurobiology, Westfaelische Wilhelms-University, Muenster, Germany

Correspondence to: Peter Redecker, Abt. Anatomie 1, Medizinische Hochschule Hannover, Carl-Neuberg-Str. 1, D-30625 Hannover, Germany. E-mail: redecker.peter@mh-hannover.de

Proteins of the presynaptic exocytic machinery have been found associated with the acrosome of male germ cells, suggesting that the sperm acrosome reaction and neurotransmission at chemical synapses may share some common mechanisms. To substantiate this hypothesis, we studied the expression and ultrastructural localization of prominent pre- and postsynaptic protein components in rat testis. The presynaptic membrane trafficking proteins SV2 and complexin, the vesicular amino acid transporters VGLUT and VIAAT, the postsynaptic scaffolding protein ProSAP/Shank, and the postsynaptic calcium-sensor protein caldendrin, could be identified in germ line cells. Immunogold electron microscopy revealed an association of these proteins with the acrosome. In addition, evidence was obtained for the expression of the plasmalemmal glutamate transporters GLT1 and GLAST in rat sperm. The novel finding that not only presynaptic proteins, which are believed to be involved in membrane fusion processes, but also postsynaptic elements are present at the acrosome sheds new light on its structural organization. Moreover, our data point to a possible role for neuroactive amino acids in reproductive physiology.

(J Histochem Cytochem 51:809–819, 2003)

Key Words: chemical synapse, postsynaptic density, shank, vesicular neurotransmitter, transporters, glutamate, GABA, GAD, SV2, complexin, acrosome


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