Testes of planaria (IMAGE)

Morgridge Institute for Research

Testes of planaria

Caption

Pictured is an optical section of planarian testes, showing mRNAs expressed at different stages of spermatogenesis, including early spermatogonia (magenta) and spermatocytes (yellow-to-red). DNA staining (cyan) highlights changes in testis cell nuclei throughout spermatogenesis. Melanie Issigonis et al. found that the enzyme AADC in reproductive niche cells helps the enzyme NRPS produce the dipeptide β-alanyl-tryptamine (BATT). Inhibition of the gene for either enzyme in planarians led to the loss of female reproductive organs and accumulation of spermatogonial stem cells in testes. The defects were reversed by administering synthetic BATT. According to the authors, monoamine-derived compounds, such as BATT, can trigger development in reproductive niche cells. 

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Melanie Issigonis, Katherine Browder, and Phillip Newmark, Morgridge Institute for Research

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