A lectin-histochemical study on the seminiferous epithelium of the northern smooth-tailed tree shrew (Dendrogale murina) and the Java tree shrew (Tupaia javanica).

Lectin-binding patterns in the testes of the northern smooth-tailed tree shrew, Dendrogale murina and Java tree shrew, Tupaia javanica were studied by light microscopy and compared the data with those of the common tree shrew. Four lectins (PNA, SBA, BPA and GS-II) were used in this study. Peanut (Arachis hypogaea) agglutinin (PNA), soybean (Glycine max) agglutinin (SBA) and Bauhinia purpurea agglutinin (BPA) showed a strong reaction in the acrosomal region from Golgi to acrosome-phase spermatids in three species of tree shrews. These lectins also showed a granular positive reaction in the cytoplasm from acrosome to maturation-phase spermatids in three species, except that BPA revealed no granular reaction (though it was positive) in the spermatid cytoplasm of the northern smooth-tailed tree shrew and that PNA revealed no reaction in the spermatid cytoplasm of the common tree shrew. While, Griffonia simplicifolia-II agglutinin (GS-II) showed a positive reaction in the acrosomal region of Golgi-phase spermatids in three species of tree shrews. Although GS-II was positive in the spermatocyte cytoplasm of three species, it showed granular in the northern smooth-tailed tree shrew and common tree shrew but not granular in the Java tree shrew. Thus, the lectin-binding patterns in testes were similar among three species belonging to the Order Scandentia. However, slight differences were also detected even among these phylogenetically-close species.