Figure 3.

PrP immunodetection in mice and goat testes. (A): The specificity of PrP antibody (sha31) was tested on adult Prnp ^0/0 testis in mice. Testicular interstitial cells showed a nonspecific fluorescence. PrP immunodetection was performed on adult testis in mice (B, C) and on 130 dpc testis in goats (D, E). The fluorescent staining is presented with a 4, 6‐diamine‐2‐phenylidole‐dihydrochloride (DAPI) blue nuclear‐specific counterstaining. (C, E) photographs correspond to an enlargement of the white rectangles depicted on (B, D) photographs. Some cells are marked as followed: Sertoli cells (white arrow, pointed on a Sertoli cell nucleus), Leydig cells (yellow star) and germinal cells (red arrowhead). dpc, days post coïtum. (F): Western blot assays of endogenous PrP (Sha31b) of adult homogenates tissues (brain, testis and lung) and sperm cells in mice and goats. Bands denoted the presence of various PrP isoforms in these tissues. No protein was detected in Prnp ^0/0 brain mice used as negative control.