Ultrastructure of the male reproductive system in a rumen amphistome Cotylophoron cotylophorum

1994 ◽  
Vol 68 (3) ◽  
pp. 255-258
Author(s):  
P.N. Sharma ◽  
G. Swarnakar ◽  
R.E.B. Hanna

AbstractThe ultrastructure of various regions of the male reproductive tract and the prostate gland of Cotylophoron cotylophorum (Trematoda: Digenea) is described. The internal lining of the entire male duct system is syncytial in nature, and regional variation is quite evident. The syncytial epithelium of the vas deferens and seminal vesicle is very thin, flat and lamellate and the lumen is packed with spermatozoa. In the pars musculosa (PM) the syncytium is also flat but lamellae are sparsely distributed and anastomosed at places to form loops. The syncytium of the PM is invested by several layers of circular and longitudinal muscle. The pars prostatica (PP) is lined by an uneven but moderately thick syncytial epithelium with nuclei projecting into the lumen. The syncytium bears numerous very long lamellae. The ejaculatory duct epithelium is devoid of lamellae. It is even and moderately thick throughout. The prostate gland cells are uneven in outline and bear long ducts which open into the lumen of the PP. They show an ultrastructural organization suggestive of protein secretion.

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jing Gao ◽  
Guanqun Gao ◽  
Lulu Dai ◽  
Jiaxing Wang ◽  
Hui Chen

Abstract Background Trypophloeus Klimeschi Eggers (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Scolytinae) is one of the most destructive pests of Populus alba var. pyramidalis (Bunge), resulting in significant losses in economic, ecological and social benefits in China’s northwest shelter forest. But research of reproductive system, spermiogenesis and spermatozoon ultrastructure of T. klimeschi that is basis of phylogeny, reproductive biology and controlling is still black. Results The male reproductive organ of T. klimeschi is composed of testis, seminal vesicle, strand shaped accessory gland containing long branch of strand shaped accessory gland and short branch of strand shaped accessory gland, curly accessory gland, vas deferens and a common ejaculatory duct. The number of sperm per cyst is 350~512. Its spermatozoon is slender, measuring about 75 μm in length and 0.5 μm in wide and composed of a 3-layred acrosomal complex, a nucleus with two different states of aggregation, two mitochondrial derivatives with dark crystal, a 9+9+2 axoneme that run more or less parallel to mitochondrial derivatives, two crystalline accessory bodies with a big compact “puff”-like expansion. Especially in the seminal vesicle, its long flagella folded into several turns and the whole sperm is wrapped in a film.Conclusion The general morphology of male reproductive tract, the spermatogenesis and the spermatozoa of T. klimeschi are, for the most part, similar to the majority of the Curculionidae. However, some distinct differences were found: the low electron-dense band in the cytoplasm of spermatocytes; two different aggregation states of spermatozoon nucleus; especially the stored way of T. klimeschi spermatozoa.


1984 ◽  
Vol 32 (6) ◽  
pp. 721 ◽  
Author(s):  
H Marsh ◽  
GE Heinsohn ◽  
TD Glover

The anatomy and histology of the male reproductive tract of the dugong (Dugong dugon) is described. Each testis and its adjacent epididymis lie immediately caudal to the corresponding kidney. The seminal vesicles are large but there is no discrete prostate gland and the bulbo-urethral glands are also diffuse. Both qualitative and quantitative examination of the testes and epididymides of 59 males whose ages have been estimated from tusk dentinal growth layer counts indicate that the male dugong does not produce spermatozoa continuously, despite the absence of a distinct breeding season. Individual dugongs were observed with testes at all stages between complete quiescence and full spermatogenesis, and only 10 of the 40 mature males had fully spermatogenic testes and epididymides packed with spermatozoa. Androgenic and spermatogenic activity of the testes appeared to be in phase, but the testicular histology of some old males suggested that they may have been sterile for long periods.


Parasitology ◽  
1966 ◽  
Vol 56 (2) ◽  
pp. 347-358 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. O. Anya

The histological anatomy of the male reproductive tract as well as the cytochemistry of the cells of different regions of the male tract in Aspiculuris tetraptera are described.It is shown that there are at least three different regions of the vas deferens, each of which releases one or more substances into the lumen of the male system and thus contributes to the composition of the semen. The histochemical nature of these secretions is given and it is suggested that the secretions of the distal vas deferens are oxytocic.My thanks are due to Professor J. D. Smyth of the Australian National University, Canberra, for the gift of RNA-ase (L. Light and Co.) and some other histochemical reagents, to Dr T. R. R. Mann, C.B.E., F.R.S., and Dr D. L. Lee, for helpful discussions during the course of this study and for reading the draft manuscript.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Oyovwi Mega Obukohwo ◽  
Nwangwa Eze Kingsley ◽  
Rotu Arientare Rume ◽  
Emojevwe Victor

The human reproductive system is made up of the primary and secondary organs, which helps to enhances reproduction. The male reproductive system is designed to produce male gametes and convey them to the female reproductive tract through the use of supportive fluids and testosterone synthesis. The paired testis (site of testosterone and sperm generation), scrotum (compartment for testis localisation), epididymis, vas deferens, seminal vesicles, prostate gland, bulbourethral gland, ejaculatory duct, urethra, and penis are the parts of the male reproductive system. The auxiliary organs aid in the maturation and transportation of sperm. Semen is made up of sperm and the secretions of the seminal vesicles, prostate, and bulbourethral glands (the ejaculate). Ejaculate is delivered to the female reproduc¬tive tract by the penis and urethra. The anatomy, embryology and functions of the male reproductive system are discussed in this chapter.


2009 ◽  
Vol 76 (3) ◽  
pp. 198-202 ◽  
Author(s):  
K.P. Skandhan ◽  
S. Amith ◽  
K.P.S. Avni

In the present study authors had separated testis, epididymis-caput, corpus, cauda, vas deferens, seminal vesicle, prostate gland and bulbourethral gland from human male reproductive tract, made it to ash form. Semen also underwent same procedure. All samples had undergone X-ray diffraction analysis. Results Results showed there where two distinct rings for each sample. We named it is “A” &” B”. Under “A” Barium silicate, Barium silicate hydrate and three metal complexes of copper, gold and zinc were seen. Under “B” Calcium silicate and calcium silicate hydrate were observed. Both “A” and “B” were seen throughout the length (expect for “A” is seminal vesicle) and in semen. Conclusions A tri metal complex of copper, gold and zinc is reported in this study, is first of its kind in Biology.


2007 ◽  
Vol 57 (4) ◽  
pp. 393-400 ◽  
Author(s):  
Teresa Cristina Monte Gonçalves ◽  
Simone Patrícia Carneiro Freitas ◽  
Jacenir Reis Dos Santos-Mallet ◽  
José Eduardo Serrão ◽  
Elias Seixas Lorosa

AbstractThe male reproductive tract in Triatominae has a pair of testes, two vasa deferentia, a pair of seminal vesicles, four pairs of accessory glands, and an ejaculatory duct, which opens in the aedeagus. In species of the genus Triatoma each testis is formed by seven testicular follicles. Because Triatoma rubrofasciata has a common ancestor with species of Triatoma occurring in North America and because the length of testis follicles varies among different species of Triatoma a morphometrical analysis of the follicles was conducted. Triatoma rubrofasciata has seven testis follicles of variable length that are similar between left and right testes. The statistics allowed the classification in a long follicle, two medium follicles, two that are short, and two that are very short. This finding is compared with data available for other Triatominae and it is emphasized that the length of follicles testis should be included in future phylogenetic analysis of Triatominae.


Reproduction ◽  
2007 ◽  
Vol 134 (3) ◽  
pp. 473-482 ◽  
Author(s):  
Victoria Sharp ◽  
Lisa M Thurston ◽  
Robert C Fowkes ◽  
Anthony E Michael

11β-Hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (11βHSD) enzymes modulate the target cell actions of corticosteroids by catalysing metabolism of the physiological glucocorticoid (GC), cortisol, to inert cortisone. Recent studies have implicated GCs in boar sperm apoptosis. Hence, the objective of this study was to characterise 11βHSD enzyme expression and activities in the boar testis and reproductive tract. Although 11βHSD1 and 11βHSD2 mRNA transcripts and proteins were co-expressed in all tissues, cortisol–cortisone interconversion was undetectable in the corpus and cauda epididymides, vas deferens, vesicular and prostate glands, irrespective of nucleotide cofactors. In contrast, homogenates of boar testis, caput epididymidis and bulbourethral gland all displayed pronounced 11βHSD activities in the presence of NADPH/NADP+ and NAD+, and the penile urethra exhibited NAD+-dependent 11β-dehydrogenase activity. In kinetic studies, homogenates of boar testis, caput epididymidis and bulbourethral gland oxidised cortisol with Km values of 237–443 and 154–226 nmol/l in the presence of NADP+ and NAD+ respectively. Maximal rates of NADP+-dependent cortisol oxidation were 7.4- to 28.5-fold greater than the Vmax for NADPH- dependent reduction of cortisone, but were comparable with the rates of NAD+-dependent cortisol metabolism. The relatively low Km estimates for NADP+ -dependent cortisol oxidation suggest that either the affinity of 11βHSD1 has been increased or the cortisol inactivation is catalysed by a novel NADP+-dependent 11βHSD enzyme in these tissues. We conclude that in the boar testis, caput epididymidis and bulbourethral gland, NADP+- and NAD+-dependent 11βHSD enzymes catalyse net inactivation of cortisol, consistent with a physiological role in limiting any local actions of GCs within these reproductive tissues.


2013 ◽  
Vol 25 (3) ◽  
pp. 570 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wendy R. Winnall ◽  
Hui Wu ◽  
Mai A. Sarraj ◽  
Peter A. W. Rogers ◽  
David M. de Kretser ◽  
...  

Activin A and its inhibitors follistatin and inhibin play key roles in development and function of the male reproductive tract. Quantitative (q) polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used to evaluate the expression of Inhba (the gene encoding activin A subunits), Inha and Inhbb (genes encoding the inhibin B subunits), as well as the genes for follistatin (Fst) and follistatin-like 3 (Fstl3) and the activin receptor subunits, in the male mouse reproductive tract. A qPCR assay that discriminated between the two follistatin variants of Fst288 (tissue-bound form) and Fst315 (circulating) was established. Activin A protein was measured by ELISA, whereas the inhibin α-subunit and total follistatin proteins were measured by radioimmunoassay (RIA). A screen of 22 tissues demonstrated tissue-specific regulation of the follistatin variants, with Fst288 highly expressed in the vas deferens and Fst315 most highly expressed in the skin. The expression of Fst288 and Fst315 and follistatin protein levels increased progressively from the testis through to the distal vas deferens. Inhba and the activin receptors were highly expressed in the epididymis, but activin A protein was elevated in both the epididymis and vas deferens. Inhibin α-subunit mRNA and protein and Inhbb expression were highest in the testis. These results indicate a role for activin A within the epididymis, but also that activin A bioactivity may be increasingly inhibited by follistatin distally along the male reproductive tract.


2005 ◽  
Vol 65 (1) ◽  
pp. 91-96 ◽  
Author(s):  
W. P Lemos ◽  
J. E Serrão ◽  
F. S Ramalho ◽  
J. C. Cola Zanuncio ◽  
M. C. Lacerda

The morphology and histology of the reproductive tract of males of the predator Podisus nigrispinus (Dallas) fed on different diets were studied. P. nigrispinus was fed on diets of: larvae of Alabama argillacea (Hübner), Tenebrio molitor L., Musca domestica L., and an artificial diet. The male reproductive tract, independent of diet, showed testes with intense red coloration in a compact, circular, or slightly oval structure. The vasa deferentia were similar in color to the testes and formed long filaments, which joined with the yellow-cream colored ejaculatory duct. The morphological characteristics of the male reproductive tract were similar under all diets, except for the artificial one. The histological studies demonstrated that independent of the diet the testes of P. nigrispinus were composed of four to six follicles. The testes with six follicles generally had four developed and two atrophied follicles. The morphological and histological differences of the testes of P. nigrispinus when fed with different prey are presented and discussed.


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