FIG. 2.

SG-specific expression of apoptosis-related genes. mRNA was isolated from the basal compartment of seminiferous tubule cross-sections of SG1 (stages I–VI) and SG2 (stages VII–VIII) tissue obtained by LCM as well as from tissue obtained by manual dissection (all testis cell types and stages) at 12 h after x-ray exposure. Gene expression of Fas (A), caspase 3 (B), p53 (C), FasL (D), and bcl-2 (E) was assessed by quantitative RT-PCR and expressed as the mean relative expression ± SEM (n = 3). Asterisk indicates significant differences relative to the control group (p < 0.05).