The gilthead seabream is a protandrous seasonal breeding teleost that is an excellent model for studying the testicular regression
process which occurs in both seasonal testicular involution and sex reversion. Little is known about the cell types and the
molecular mechanisms involved in such processes, mainly because of the lack of appropriate methods for testis dissociation,
and testicular cell isolation, culture and functional characterization. We have previously reported that gilthead seabream
acidophilic granulocytes infiltrate the testis at post-spawning stage, settle close to the spermatogonia and accumulate intracellular
interleukin-1β. In this paper, we report several flow cytometry based assays which allow to establish the role played by gilthead
seabream testicular acidophilic granulocytes and permits their quantification.
Indexing terms Testis - Flow cytometry - Phagocytosis
Published: June 29, 2004.