Lectin-binding sites in normal human testis

Nine fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC)-labelled lectins have been used to investigate the distribution of glycoconjugates in unfixed frozen and Bouin-fixed sections of normal human testis. Interstitial cells and lamina propria of seminiferous tubuli were stained by PNA, HPA, RCA II, SBA, ConA, and WGA indicating an abundance of the following glycoconjugates: N-GlcNAc, N-GalNAc, Gal, and Man. The germinative cells were stained cytoplasmatically by ConA (Alpha-D-Man/-Glc). Sertoli cells showed the same pattern with ConA. Early spermatids fixed PNA and RCA II in the acrosomal region. Elongated spermatids fixed WGA on their acrosomes and fainty on the flagellae too indicating abundance of N-GlcNAc residues. The findings argue for differentiation-related modifications of lectin-binding sites on germinative cells and the usefulness of Bouin-fixed samples for lectin histochemistry.