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A major sialoglycoprotein from rat epididymal fluid was radiolabeled by NaIO4/[3H]KBH4 method and purified by chromatography using DEAE-Sepharose and chromatofocusing columns. Its Mr was 21,000 and its pI value was 4.9. Since it possessed a high sialic acid content and an alpha-lactalbumin-like activity, it was proposed to be a sialylated form of epididymal alpha-lactalbumin-like protein.
The authors report on two isolated cases of bilharzioma: one vesical revealed by an hematuria and one epididymal constituting an intrascrotal mass. Clinical signs did not oriented toward these diagnosis and biology was helpless. Serodiagnosis by hemagglutination was negative, but immunofluorescence was more reliable. On the contrary both tumors were detected by echotomography of which the efficiency is determinant for the diagnosis and must be underlined. Only anatomopathology was able to confirm the diagnosis of tumor. As a matter of course, surgical exploration and excision are necessary in these types of tumors with negative biology. In both cases, effects were isolated. In one patient, infestation was old and already treated; in the second one, infestation was probably light. The authors recall also bilharzioma physiopathology. Frequency of vesical bilharzioma is about 20% of genito-urinary schistosomiasis while epididymal bilharzioma reaches only 0.29 to 4.8%. Direct line between bilharzioma and cancer is likely but controversial, schistosomiasis beeing a true irritative agent.
Spermatozoa from four epididymal regions and from the ejaculate of the monkey, Macaca fascicularis, always present the same particle organization for a given sample. The plasmalemma contains homogeneously distributed, 7-8 nm size, PF-face, particles throughout the head, midpiece and principal piece. A unique, particle arrangement occurs in the plasmalemmal, PF-face in spermatozoa from the proximal levels of the body of the epididymis only. Square arrays of 4-6 nm size, PF-face plasmalemmal particles occur in this region of the epididymis at the peripheral edge of the spermatozoon acrosomal region only. Throughout other regions of the epididymis the plasmalemma contains only the homogeneously distributed, 7-8 nm size, PF-face particles. Ejaculate spermatozoa exhibit a similar particle organization to that of spermatozoa found in the distal portions of the epididymis. However, ejaculate spermatozoa of one animal from the eight used in this study exhibited a series of 7-8 nm size, linearly arranged, plasmalemmal, PF-face particles situated just proximal to the striated ring. This array of particles continued further rostral on the lateral aspect than on the flattened medial aspect of the spermatozoon. Spermatozoa from the tail of the epididymis and from ejaculates of the other seven animals lacked such specialization. The above data is discussed in terms of the population of particles generally, the significance of the presence of linearly arranged particles proximal to the striated ring, and the possible significance of the square arrays of particles present transiently in one region of the epididymis only. A correlation is made between these square arrays and similarly arrayed particles found in rat and boar epididymal spermatozoa.
Epididymal 5 alpha-reductase converts testosterone to 5 alpha-dihydrotestosterone. The enzyme is localized to the nuclear and microsomal membranes, and using two approaches, we investigated the relationship between 5 alpha-reductase activity and the membrane environment. In the first, nuclear and microsomal membrane fractions were treated with phospholipases to modify specifically the structure of the phospholipid component of the membranes, and the effects of these treatments on the kinetic parameters of 5 alpha-reductase were examined. The second approach was to observe the effects of phospholipids of known structure on solubilized 5 alpha-reductase activity. Treatment of the membrane fractions with phospholipase C increased the Km(app) of both the nuclear and microsomal 5 alpha-reductases for testosterone. Phospholipase A2 treatment also increased the Km(app) of the microsomal enzyme, but in contrast, the Km(app) of the nuclear 5 alpha-reductase for testosterone was unaffected. This demonstrated a fundamental difference in the role of the membrane environment in the expression of 5 alpha-reductase activity in these subcellular compartments. The ability of phospholipids to enhance the activity of solubilized 5 alpha-reductase was highly specific and structure related. Only phosphatidylcholines containing either unsaturated acyl chains or saturated acyl chains of 12 carbon atoms were found to activate 5 alpha-reductase. The most potent activator was dilauroyl phosphatidylcholine, which reduced the Km(app) values of both nuclear and microsomal 5 alpha-reductases for testosterone, without affecting the concentration of active 5 alpha-reductase (Vmax(app) ). This is the first time that an activator of 5 alpha-reductase has been found. These findings suggest that epididymal 5 alpha-reductase activity may be regulated by changes in the phospholipid environment.
The epididymal region of the Japanese quail was studied histologically. The organ consists of the extratesticular portion of the rete testis, the ductuli efferentes proximales and distales, the ducti conjugentes and ductus epididymidis. Distinct tubuli recti link the seminiferous tubules with the rete testis. The non-ciliated cells of the ductuli efferentes proximales and distales show, between them, certain internal structural differences which were highlighted. In 40% of the birds, the ductus deferens showed dark-grey pigments, regarded as melanin. The epididymal region was generally similar in structure to that of the domestic fowl, turkey and duck.
Two cases of epididymal sarcoidosis, presenting as scrotal masses, are described. Biopsies of the epididymis and scalene nodes established the diagnosis. The literature of epididymal sarcoid and its differential diagnosis is discussed.
Modifications in bull sperm plasmamembrane during epididymal passage were investigated by the use of four different lectins: Concanavalin A (Con A); Ricinus communis I (RCA1); Wheat germ agglutinin (WGA); Ulex europaeus agglutinin I (UEA1). During sperm passage from caput to cauda epididymidis agglutination by RCA1 and WGA distinctly increased. Similar but somewhat less pronounced difference in the agglutinability was found for Con A. No agglutination was observed with UEA1. Ultrastructural examination of Con A binding sites on sperm plasma membrane with a Con A-horseradish peroxidase-gold technique (Con A-HRP-G) revealed a significant increase in the number of gold granules on the sperm tails during the epididymal passage of spermatozoa. No change in WGA-binding sites was observed between caput and cauda spermatozoa using a WGA-peroxidase method.
To further investigate changes in the sperm surface occurring during epididymal transit and after ejaculation, the surface negative charge on the head of chimpanzee sperm recovered from the caput (n = 4) and cauda epididymis (n = 3) and from the ejaculate (n = 4) was measured. Washed sperm were exposed to colloidal iron at pH 1.6, washed, mounted on carbon plates, and examined in a scanning electron microscope equipped with an energy dispersive X-ray analyzer. This technique permits evaluation of individual sperm in a population and provides information not available when the entire population is measured as a whole. The results demonstrate a net increase in negative charge during epididymal transit and after ejaculation and a change in charge distribution within the population from a unimodal to a tetra modal distribution. Caput sperm showed a unimodal distribution with a mode of 20 +/- 2%. Cauda sperm showed three modes at 23 +/- 1, 34 +/- 3, and 41 +/- 3%. Ejaculated sperm showed four modes at 21 +/- 3, 31 +/- 4, and 40 +/- 2, and 46 +/- 2%. The sperm population in the chimpanzee epididymis and ejaculate is not homogeneous, and this technique will aid in future measurement of fertility of subpopulations of sperm in the ejaculate.
During their development, spermatozoa are continually bathed in fluid provided by epithelial secretions of the seminiferous tubule and the epididymal duct. This fluid or microenvironment is probably very important for spermatozoal maturation and survival. Micropuncture and microanalytic studies have revealed the occurrence of several biochemical changes of this specialized microenvironment along the epididymal duct; these changes seem to be linked to sperm maturation. The interactions between maturing spermatozoa and their microenvironment must be understood before interference in sperm maturation through intervention of the formation of the microenvironment is possible. Several compounds have been shown to interfere in spermatozoal maturation in the epididymis although their use as male contraceptives requires further investigation.
Polyribosomes from rat epididymal fat pads may be prepared in a synthetically active state and high yield by quick-freezing the tissue in liquid nitrogen, followed by grinding to a frozen powder. The number of initiated (active) ribosomes is limiting in a cell-free protein synthesis assay derived from the frozen preparation that measures completion of nascent polypeptide chains. When starved rats are killed 30 min after a single injection of insulin (0.8 unit, subcutaneously) there is a shift in the ribosomal distribution pattern (on sucrose density gradients) in the direction of larger polyribosomes. This is accompanied by a 2-fold increase in protein synthetic activity of fat cell ribosomes as measured in vitro. When isolated epididymal fat cells are treated with insulin, with or without added glucose, a 2-fold increase in the rate of incorporation of [3H]leucine into [3H]leucine into trichloroacetic acid-insoluble protein is noted within 40 min. The parallel increases in the number of initiated ribosomes, in their synthetic activity in vitro, and in the apparent protein synthetic activity of the whole cell indicate a rapidly evolving action of insulin at the level of peptide chain initiation.
Both scanning (SEM) and transmission (TEM) electron microscopic studies of the major ductules and ducts of the perfused epididymal region of the drake were reported. The SEM correlated with TEM studies and confirmed some previous observations that the non-ciliated Types I and II cells in the proximal and distal efferent ductules, respectively, possessed apical microvilli as distinct from the cilia of the ciliated cells. The relative number of each cell type in each duct was also revealed. All microvilli and cilia were regular in shape. The connecting and epididymal ducts showed 'craters' scattered over their entire epithelial surfaces. Also, a single cilium projected from most of the cells of the epithelial lining into the lumen of these ducts. The name, 'uniciliated cell' has been suggested to describe this cell which has, until now, been referred to as the non-ciliated Type III cell (Aire, 1980; Aire et al. 1979). Neither bulbous microvilli nor blebbing of the apical plasmalemma of the cells occurred in properly fixed tissues.
5 cellular types were identified in the epithelium lining the epididymal duct of the opossum (Didelphis azarae): principal cells, clear, basal, apical and intraepithelial lymphocytes, similar to the epididymal duct of the rat. Morphological aspects of these cells are described in the present paper, at the optical microscope level.
Bilateral insertion of silastic capsules releasing 38-44 micrograms norethisterone enanthate/24 h into the epididymal fat-pads was found to induce complete azoospermia leading to infertility in adult male rabbits 8 weeks after insertion of the progestin implants. The treatment did not exert any inhibitory effects on the libido and sexual behaviour of the animals as judged by objective parameters of mating. Further, the failure of the hormone-releasing implants was not found to exert any adverse effects on the embryos and pregnancy as indicated by the delivery of normal pups to females mated with implant-bearing males 3 weeks after the insertion of 'epididymal' implants.
The epididymal epithelium of the rat has a 5'nucleotidasic activity, which is located in the basal cells and in the apical border of the principal cells. After bilateral castration, the pattern of this enzymatic activity is modified, but it is restored by a testosterone treatment. Bilateral castration abolished the apical activity of the epithelium, while the basal cells remained active. However different migratory aspects of basal cells seem to show their participation in the secretory function of the epithelium. Testosterone thus appears as a regulator for the basal cells activity and this would explain its role in the epididymal function.
Rats were injected subcutaneously with the male antifertility agent, alpha-chlorohydrin (90 mg/kg), and the animals killed 4/24, 2, 5, 10 and 20 days after the injection. Rats in a second series were killed at the same time intervals following bilateral ligation of the vasa efferentia to mimic the effect of the high dose of alpha-chlorohydrin in blocking the initial segment of the epididymis. The epididymides were cut into segments for relative blood flow estimations. There was little change in the pattern of blood flow in the epididymal segments of rats injected with alpha-chlorohydrin, and it appears that interference with the epididymal vasculature is not an important factor in the mode of action of alpha-chlorohydrin. Bilateral ligation of the vasa efferentia produced a marked effect on blood flow through the epididymis. The results suggest that this dose of alpha-chlorohydrin disrupts the motility and morphology of sperm in the epididymis.
The motility of ejaculated spermatozoa (% of progressive spermatozoa) has been evaluated visually on 26 adult rams. Half the animals were immunized with a secretory epididymal protein (prealbumin epididymal-specific (PES) ovine) injected according to immunizing protocols (Freund or Hunter adjuvant) intraperitoneally or intradermally (Freund or Hunter adjuvant) or intramuscularly (Hunter adjuvant or PES only). The other animals received the same product without the protein (controls). The product resulted in a strong asthenospermia which parallels the transient presence of anti-PES antibodies in the seminal plasma. A study with 64 ewes showed that the fertility of 10 immunized rams that had recovered sufficient forward motility to ensure fertilization, did not differ from that of control rams.
Polyclonal antibodies raised against a 20 kD epididymal protein (EP20) were used to isolate the cDNA from a human testis lambda gt11 expression library. The nucleotide sequence of the cDNA consisted of 1908 base pairs (bp) containing an open reading frame composed of 1479 bp encoding a polypeptide of 493 amino acid residues. The nucleotide sequence of EP-20 cDNA had 97% identities (282/288) with ESTO 0991 Homo Sapiens cDNA clone HHC M14 in the reverse orientation. The HHC M14 sequence corresponded to a segment in the non-translatable 3'end of EP-20 cDNA. The amino acid sequence of the deduced polypeptide showed no homology with reported polypeptides. The epididymal protein may be involved in sperm maturation and/or capacitation.
Influence of prolactin on the ultrastructure of principal cells lining the epididymal epithelium was investigated in Wistar rats. Orchidectomy produced degenerative changes suggesting that structural integrity of principal cell is maintained by factors originating in the testis. The atrophic changes in the principal cell of ordhidectomised rats were significantly reversed when prolactin was administered to these animals. The number of cells that responded were found to increase with the dose of prolactin injected. On the otherhand, bromocryptine treatment did not appreciably change the ultrastructure of principal cells in orchidectomised rats. Results suggest that prolactin may have a rejuvenating epididymal principal cells in androgen deficient states.