Sperm maturation in the epididymis may involve differences between mature and immature spermatozoa in their volume regulatory osmolyte response. Spermatozoa obtained from the rat caput and cauda epididymidis were exam...Sperm maturation in the epididymis may involve differences between mature and immature spermatozoa in their volume regulatory osmolyte response. Spermatozoa obtained from the rat caput and cauda epididymidis were examined for their ability to regulate volume after transfer from in situ epididymal osmolality （measured to be 343 ± 13 and 365 ± 19 mmol kg^-1, respectively） to that of the female tract in single- and multiple-step protocols. Cells withstood the single-step treatment better than the multistep protocol. Sperm volume estimates by flow cytometric measure- ments of forward scatter of cells with intact head membranes was more sensitive than those by assessing cell coiling microscopically. At osmolalites below 210 mmol kg l both caput and cauda cells ruptured, limiting the use of flow cytometry. Above this critical value, the use of quinine showed that both caput and cauda cells could regulate volume, but cauda cells were the more effective. Of several organic osmolytes studied, myo-inositol, glutamate and KCl caused only temporary and slight swelling of spermatozoa cells in hypotonic medium. Spermatozoa of both maturities seemed to use potassium as the preferred osmolyte for regulating volume.展开更多
Aim: Epididymal proteins are known to play an important role in the maturation of spermatozoa, we ougnt to deter-mine if there are regional differences in androgen-dependent epididymal proteins. Methods: A group of ad...Aim: Epididymal proteins are known to play an important role in the maturation of spermatozoa, we ougnt to deter-mine if there are regional differences in androgen-dependent epididymal proteins. Methods: A group of adult rats wascastrated and epididymides were removed three days following castration. The epididymides were dissected into caput,corpus and cauda segments, homogenized, and proteins were fractionated by anion exchange HPLC. Proteins in select-ed fractions were resolved by SDS-PAGE and visualized by silver staining. Results: It was observed that the levels ofmultiple proteins drastically reduced in the various regions of epididymis of the orchiectomized rats. Conclusion: Theepididymal proteins appear to be useful markers to study androgenic action in the epididymis.展开更多
文摘Sperm maturation in the epididymis may involve differences between mature and immature spermatozoa in their volume regulatory osmolyte response. Spermatozoa obtained from the rat caput and cauda epididymidis were examined for their ability to regulate volume after transfer from in situ epididymal osmolality （measured to be 343 ± 13 and 365 ± 19 mmol kg^-1, respectively） to that of the female tract in single- and multiple-step protocols. Cells withstood the single-step treatment better than the multistep protocol. Sperm volume estimates by flow cytometric measure- ments of forward scatter of cells with intact head membranes was more sensitive than those by assessing cell coiling microscopically. At osmolalites below 210 mmol kg l both caput and cauda cells ruptured, limiting the use of flow cytometry. Above this critical value, the use of quinine showed that both caput and cauda cells could regulate volume, but cauda cells were the more effective. Of several organic osmolytes studied, myo-inositol, glutamate and KCl caused only temporary and slight swelling of spermatozoa cells in hypotonic medium. Spermatozoa of both maturities seemed to use potassium as the preferred osmolyte for regulating volume.
文摘Aim: Epididymal proteins are known to play an important role in the maturation of spermatozoa, we ougnt to deter-mine if there are regional differences in androgen-dependent epididymal proteins. Methods: A group of adult rats wascastrated and epididymides were removed three days following castration. The epididymides were dissected into caput,corpus and cauda segments, homogenized, and proteins were fractionated by anion exchange HPLC. Proteins in select-ed fractions were resolved by SDS-PAGE and visualized by silver staining. Results: It was observed that the levels ofmultiple proteins drastically reduced in the various regions of epididymis of the orchiectomized rats. Conclusion: Theepididymal proteins appear to be useful markers to study androgenic action in the epididymis.
