OBJECTIVETo investigate the expression and the role of nitric oxide synthase (NOS) in the testis and epididymis of macaca fascicularis.

METHODSThe immunohistochemical ABC method was used to observe the localization of nitric oxide synthase in the testis and epididymis of the macaca fascicularis.

RESULTS(1) nNOS immunoreactivity was found in the spermatogenic cells of seminiferous tubules, the epithelia of epididymal efferent ducts, sperm and the endothelia of blood vessels; (2) iNOS was expressed in the epididymal efferent duct, the sperm inside the duct, and the myoid cells and endothelia of blood vessels; (3) eNOS immunoreactivity was detected in the interstitial cells of the testis, the epididymal efferent duct, the sperm inside the duct, and the myoid cells and endothelia of blood vessels.

CONCLUSIONNOS is extensively expressed in the testis and epididymis of the macaca fascicularis and it may play an important role in such processes as spermatogenesis, sperm maturation and testosterone secretion.

Animals ; Epididymis ; metabolism ; Immunohistochemistry ; Macaca fascicularis ; Male ; Nitric Oxide Synthase ; biosynthesis ; physiology ; Testis ; metabolism

PURPOSE: To examine the influence of ovariectomy (OVX) on bone turnover and trabecular bone mass at the 3 clinically important skeletal sites in mature cynomolgus monkeys. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Six female cynomolgus monkeys, aged 17-21 years, were randomized into 2 groups by the stratified weight: the OVX and sham-operation groups (n = 3 in each group). The experimental period was 16 months. Lumbar bone mineral density (BMD) in vivo and serum and urinary bone turnover markers were longitudinally measured, and peripheral quantitative computed tomographic and bone histomorphometric analyses were performed on trabecular bone of the lumbar vertebra, femoral neck, and distal radius at the end of the experiment. RESULTS: OVX induced in a reduction in lumbar BMD compared with the sham controls and the baseline, as a result of increased serum levels of bone-specific alkaline phosphatase and urinary levels of cross-lined N- and C-terminal telopeptides of type I collagen. Furthermore, OVX induced reductions in trabecular volumetric BMD and trabecular bone mass compared with the sham controls, with increased bone formation rate at the lumbar vertebra, femoral neck, and distal radius. CONCLUSION: The results indicated that OVX in mature cynomolgus monkeys (17-21 years of age) increased bone turnover and induced trabecular bone loss at the three skeletal sites compared with the sham controls. Thus, mature cynomolgus monkeys could be utilized for preclinical studies to examine the effects of interventions on bone turnover and trabecular bone mass at the 3 clinically important skeletal sites.
Alkaline Phosphatase/blood ; Animals ; *Bone Density ; Collagen Type I/urine ; Female ; Femur Neck/metabolism ; Lumbar Vertebrae/metabolism ; Macaca fascicularis/*physiology ; Ovariectomy/*adverse effects ; Radius/metabolism ; Random Allocation

To compare the effects of ketamine and tiletaminezolazepam (TZ) drugs widely used for the chemical restraint and immobilization of primates, on various physiological parameters and blood gas values in cynomolgus monkeys (Macaca facicularis). Rectal temperature, heart rate, respiration rate and blood gas analysis were measured before treatment and at 1, 10, 20, 30, 40, 50 and 60 min after administration. Additionally, in both groups, induction and maintenance times were compared. Heart rate, respiration rate, rectal temperature, pH and pCO2 were not significant different in the two groups. However, pO2 in the ketamine-treated group was significantly lower at 30 and 40 min than in the TZ-treated group. The induction time was short in both groups, and the maintenance time was longer in the TZ-treated group (67.8+/-6.5 min) than in the ketamine-treated group (42.3+/-6.7 min). However, decreased rectal temperatures must be watched and prevented following TZ administration to cynomolgus monkeys. It was considered that ketamine may be useful for short duration anesthesia including handling, physical examination, blood sampling and TZ may be useful for prolonged anesthesia including minor surgery and other surgical procedure.
Animals ; Body Temperature/drug effects ; Carbon Dioxide/blood ; Excitatory Amino Acid Antagonists/*pharmacology ; Female ; Heart Rate/drug effects ; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration ; Immobilization/*physiology ; Ketamine/*pharmacology ; Macaca fascicularis ; Male ; Partial Pressure ; Respiratory Mechanics ; Restraint, Physical/*methods ; Tiletamine/*pharmacology ; Time Factors

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have received considerable attention for various therapeutic approaches in recent years. MSCs are also easy to genetically modify to express therapeutic genes by using lentiviral vectors. Because of the similarities in genetics, physiology and metabolism between non-human primates (NHPs) and humans, NHPs models are invaluable for researching human disorders and for developing therapeutic strategies. Therefore, MSCs derived from NHPs could be a powerful tool for cell therapy and genetic engineering. Studies from captive and free-ranging adult NHPs show that up to 100% were infected with simian foamy virus (SFV). In this study, we found that all cultured MSCs derived from adult cynomolgus monkey were infected with SFV by RT-PCR. Therefore, antiviral drugs must be added in MSCs culture. However, because of SFV infection and additive antiviral drugs, the infection efficiency of the lentiviral vectors reduced significantly. In this study, we improved the infection efficiency by disabled antiviral drugs before lentiviral infection. It might be provide technical assistance for the culture of adult cynomolgus monkey MSCs as genetically engineered cells applied to clinical and experimental research.
Animals ; Bone Marrow Cells ; cytology ; Cell Differentiation ; Genetic Vectors ; genetics ; Green Fluorescent Proteins ; genetics ; Lentivirus ; genetics ; Macaca fascicularis ; Mesenchymal Stromal Cells ; cytology ; virology ; Simian foamy virus ; physiology ; Transduction, Genetic

AIMTo show whether molecular motor dynein on a microtubule track, molecular motor myosin Va, motor recruiter myosin Va, VIIa-Rab27a/b interacting protein (MyRIP), and vesicle receptor Rab27b on an F-actin track were present during human and monkey spermiogenesis involving intramanchette transport (IMT).

METHODSSpermiogenic cells were obtained from three men with obstructive azoospermia and normal adult cynomolgus monkey (Macaca fascicularis). Immunocytochemical detection and reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) analysis of the proteins were carried out. Samples were analyzed by light microscope.

RESULTSUsing RT-PCR, we found that dynein, myosin Va, MyRIP and Rab27b were expressed in monkey testis. These proteins were localized to the manchette, as shown by immunofluorescence, particularly during human and monkey spermiogenesis.

CONCLUSIONWe speculate that during primate spermiogenesis, those proteins that compose microtubule-based and actin-based vesicle transport systems are actually present in the manchette and might possibly be involved in intramanchette transport.

Actins ; metabolism ; Adult ; Animals ; Biological Transport ; physiology ; Dyneins ; metabolism ; Humans ; Macaca fascicularis ; Male ; Microtubules ; metabolism ; Myosin Heavy Chains ; metabolism ; Myosin Type V ; metabolism ; Myosins ; metabolism ; Spermatids ; cytology ; metabolism ; Spermatogenesis ; physiology ; Testis ; cytology ; metabolism ; Transport Vesicles ; physiology ; Vesicular Transport Proteins ; metabolism ; rab GTP-Binding Proteins ; metabolism