Apoptotic Sertoli cell death in hypogonadic (hgn/hgn) rat testes during early postnatal development.

Aim: To determine the involvement of apoptotic cell death in postnatal pathogenesis in mutant strain of hypogonadic (hgn/hgn) rats testes. We evaluated the numbers and types of cells undergoing apoptotic cell death.

Methods: Tissue sections were stained by the TUNEL method for in situ detection of apoptotic cells, with specific antibodies used as markers of testicular somatic and germ cells.