Epithelial cells of the epididymis and vas deferens establish an optimum luminal environment in which spermatozoa mature and are stored. This is achieved by active transepithelial transport of various ions including Cl(-) and H(+). We investigated the localization of three closely related members of the ClC family, ClC-3, ClC-4, and ClC-5, in the epididymis and vas deferens. RT-PCR using mRNA i...

To elucidate the molecular mechanisms involved in sperm maturation during epididymal transit, we intended to isolate secretory molecules that are region-specifically expressed along the epididymis and secreted into the lumen of epididymal ducts. By using differential display screening and DNA sequence analyses, we isolated a rat bactericidal/permeability-increasing protein (BPI) possessing a si...

Our goal is to decipher which DNA sequences are required for tissue-specific expression of epididymal genes. At least 6 epididymis-specific lipocalin genes are known. These are differently regulated and regionalized in the epididymis. Lipocalin 5 (Lcn5 or mE-RABP) and Lipocalin 8 (Lcn8 or mEP17) are homologous genes belonging to the epididymis-specific lipocalin gene cluster. Both the 5 kb prom...

The present study was aimed to study the effects of hyperlipidaemia on the histology of various reproductive organs. The chronic oral administration of cholesterol diet (400 mg/kg bodyweight/day for 60 day) induced hyperlipidaemia in male rabbits. It showed severe degeneration in germinal epithelium. Few spermatocytes could be seen, but the number was decreased. The seminiferous tubules were wa...

The cryopreservation of epididymal sperm is important to preserve genetic material from valuable deceased males. This study evaluated the viability of sperm samples from eight stallions under three conditions: (1) collected using an artificial vagina (EJ-0h), (2) recovered from the epididymal cauda immediately after orchiectomy (EP-0h), and (3) recovered from the epididymal cauda after 24h of s...

MODIFICATIONS IN RABBIT SPERM PLASMA MEMBRANES DURING EPIDIDYMAL PASSAGE AND AFTER EJACULATION WERE INVESTIGATED BY USED OF THREE LECTINS: concanavalin A (Con A); Ricinus communis I (RCA(I)); and wheat germ agglutinin (WGA). During sperm passage from caput to cauda epididymis, agglutination by WGA drastically decreased, and agglutination by RCA(I) slightly decreased, although agglutination by C...

The transit of spermatozoa in the genital tract of the male mouse was investigated by quantitative light microscopic autoradiography after intraperitoneal injection of tritiated thymidine. Transit duration in the caput and the corpus of the epididymis was shown to be 3 days; the total duration of transit in the genital tract was 5 days. These findings indicate that the time required for the tra...

Location of the cytoplasmic droplets (CD) and their dimensions varied significantly (p<0.01) when sperm cells traverse through the regions of caput, corpus and cauda epididymis and vasdeferens respectively. The gradual diminution in the morphology of CD between the epididymal regions were related significantly (p<0.01, p<0.05). Caudal shift of the CD, along with regression in size and finally t...

This study investigated whether transient, neonatal (days 2-12) treatment of rats with the potent oestrogen, diethylstilboestrol (DES), altered the structure of the cauda epididymis/vas deferens in adulthood, and if the changes observed related to altered development of basal cells in early puberty. Neonatal treatment with 10 microg DES resulted in the following during adulthood: (a) coiling of...

Copper nanoparticles (CuNPs) have been widely used in various industrial and commercial applications, which become a potential threat to aquatic organisms. Nevertheless, their toxicity the epididymis sperm remains little known. In this study, we evaluated effect of CuNPs copper ions (CuSO4) on spermatozoa viability, epididymal structure, antioxidant enzyme activity, inflammatory cytokines cauda...