Fig. 4

a-b Immunohistochemical localization of Cx43 in testes of control (a, a’, a”) and flutamide-treated (b, b’, b”) rats. Scale bars represent 15 μm. All sections were counterstained with Mayer’s haematoxylin. In control rats (a, a’, a”) Cx43 is distributed in linear array between adjacent Sertoli cells at the level of the BTB (arrowheads). For details, see the higher magnification in a’. Note also Cx43 signal between Sertoli cells and spermatocytes and at the Sertoli cell-elongated spermatid interface (arrows; a, a’). In the interstitium, a strong signal for Cx43 is localized to Leydig cells (asterisks; a, a’, a” and insert in a”). Following flutamide treatment (b, b’, b”), note apparent decrease in the Cx43 immunostaining at the BTB site (arrowheads). For details, see the higher magnification in B’. Similar signal intensity as in control testis is visible at the Sertoli cells-elongated spermatid interface (arrows; b, b’). Note very strong linear signal at cellular membrane between neighboring Leydig cells in the interstitium (asterisks; b” and insert in b”). Rectangles indicate the location of the higher magnification view. No signal was detected when anti-Cx43 antibody was substituted by normal goat serum (insert in a’)