Sertoli-like cells in Raspaciona aculeata and Petrosia ficiformis

Biogeography rather than association with cyanobacteria structures symbiotic microbial communities in the marine sponge Petrosia ficiformis

The sponge Petrosia ficiformis is ubiquitous in the Mediterranean Sea and Eastern Atlantic Ocean, hosting a diverse assemblage of bacteria, including, in illuminated sites, cyanobacteria. Two closely related sponge color morphs have been described, one inside caves and at their entrance (white/pink), and one on the rocky cliffs (violet). The presence of the different morphs and their ubiquity i...

Effects of Agelas oroides and Petrosia ficiformis crude extracts on human neuroblastoma cell survival.

Among marine sessile organisms, sponges (Porifera) are the major producers of bioactive secondary metabolites that defend them against predators and competitors and are used to interfere with the pathogenesis of many human diseases. Some of these biological active metabolites are able to influence cell survival and death, modifying the activity of several enzymes involved in these cellular proc...

Characterisation and antimicrobial activity of epibiotic bacteria from Petrosia ficiformis (Porifera, Demospongiae)

Numerous natural products from marine invertebrates show striking structural similarities to known metabolites of microbial origin, suggesting that microorganisms (bacteria, microalgae) are at least involved in their biosynthesis or are in fact the true sources of these respective metabolites. The viable epibiotic microbial community of the marine sponge Petrosia ficiformis was screened and cha...

Oogenesis in Axinella damicornis and Raspaciona aculeata

P-34: Expression of Toll-like Receptor2-3 Genes in Sertoli Cells of Patients with Azoospermia

Background: Toll-like receptors (TLRs) constitute a major part of innate immunity, which can distinguish pathogen associate molecular pattern. Sertoli cells create a special immunological niche that protects somniferous tubules from auto antigens and pathogens. These cells are the only somatic cells in somniferous that protect testis cells against pathogens. The purpose of this study was to eva...