scholarly journals Nerves innervating copulatory organs show common FMRFamide, FVRIamide, MIP and serotonin immunoreactivity patterns across Dinophilidae (Annelida) indicating their conserved role in copulatory behaviour

BMC Zoology ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexandra Kerbl ◽  
Emilie Winther Tolstrup ◽  
Katrine Worsaae
Keyword(s):  
Mating Behaviour ◽  
Copulatory Organ ◽  
Reproductive Organs ◽  
Seminal Vesicles ◽  
Male Mating ◽  
Individual Traits ◽  
Serotonin Immunoreactivity ◽  
Dwarf Males ◽  
Copulatory Behaviour

Abstract Background Males of the microscopic annelid family Dinophilidae use their prominent glandomuscular copulatory organ (penis) to enzymatically dissolve the female’s epidermis and thereafter inject sperm. In order to test for putative conserved copulatory structures and neural orchestration across three dinophilid species, we reconstructed the reproductive myo- and neuroanatomy and mapped immunoreactivity patterns against two specific neurotransmitter markers with reported roles in invertebrate male mating behaviour (FVRIamide, MIP) and three general neural markers (acetylated α-tubulin, serotonin, FMRFamide). Results Seminal vesicles (one or two pairs), surrounded by a thin layer of longitudinal and circular muscles and innervated by neurites, are found between testes and copulatory organ in the larger males of Dinophilus vorticoides and Trilobodrilus axi, but are missing in the only 0.05 mm long D. gyrociliatus dwarf males. The midventral copulatory organ is in all species composed of an outer muscular penis sheath and an inner penis cone. Neurites encircle the organ equatorially, either as a ring-shaped circumpenial fibre mass or as dorsal and ventral commissures, which are connected to the ventrolateral nerve cords. All three examined dinophilids show similar immunoreactivity patterns against serotonin, FMRFamide, and FVRIamide in the neurons surrounding the penis, supporting the hypotheses about the general involvement of these neurotransmitters in copulatory behaviour in dinophilids. Immunoreactivity against MIP is restricted to the circumpenial fibre mass in D. gyrociliatus and commissures around the penis in T. axi (but not found in D. vorticoides), indicating its role in controlling the copulatory organ. Conclusions The overall myo- and neuroanatomy of the reproductive organs is rather similar in the three studied species, suggesting a common ancestry of the unpaired glandomuscular copulatory organ and its innervation in Dinophilidae. This is furthermore supported by the similar immunoreactivity patterns against the tested neurotransmitters around the penis. Smaller differences in the immunoreactivity patterns around the seminal vesicles and spermioducts might account for additional, individual traits. We thus show morphological support for the putatively conserved role of FMRFamide, FVRIamide, MIP and serotonin in dinophilid copulatory behaviour.

scholarly journals Nerves innervating copulatory organs show common FMRFamide, FVRIamide, MIP and serotonin immunoreactivity patterns across Dinophilidae (Annelida) indicating their conserved role in copulatory behaviour

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexandra Kerbl ◽  
Emilie Winther Tolstrup ◽  
Katrine Worsaae
Keyword(s):  
Mating Behaviour ◽  
Copulatory Organ ◽  
Reproductive Organs ◽  
Seminal Vesicles ◽  
Male Mating ◽  
Individual Traits ◽  
Serotonin Immunoreactivity ◽  
Dwarf Males ◽  
Copulatory Behaviour

Background: Males of the microscopic annelid family Dinophilidae use their prominent glandomuscular copulatory organ (penis) to enzymatically dissolve the female's epidermis and thereafter inject sperm. In order to test for putative conserved copulatory structures and neural orchestration across three dinophilid species, we reconstructed the reproductive myo- and neuroanatomy and mapped neurotransmitter immunoreactivity patterns of two specific markers with reported roles in invertebrate male mating behaviour (FVRIamide, MIP) and three general neural markers (acetylated α-tubulin, serotonin, FMRFamide). Results: Seminal vesicles (one or two pairs), surrounded by a thin layer of longitudinal and circular muscles and innervated by nerve fibres, are found between testes and copulatory organ in the larger males of Dinophilus vorticoides and Trilobodrilus axi, but are missing in the only 0.05 mm long D. gyrociliatus dwarf males. The midventral copulatory organ is in all species composed of an outer muscular penis sheath and an inner penis cone. Nerves encircle the organ equatorially, either as a ring-shaped circumpenial fibre mass or as dorsal and ventral commissures, which are connected to the ventrolateral nerve cords. All three examined dinophilids show similar serotonin-, FMRFamide-, and FVRIamide-like immunoreactivity patterns in the nerves surrounding the penis, supporting the general involvement of these neurotransmitters in copulatory behaviour in meiofaunal annelids. MIP-like immunoreactivity is restricted to the circumpenial fibre mass in D. gyrociliatus and commissures around the penis in T. axi (but not found in D. vorticoides), indicating its role in controlling the copulatory organ. Conclusions: The overall myo- and neuroanatomy of the reproductive organs is rather similar in the three studied species, suggesting a common ancestry of the unpaired glandomuscular copulatory organ and its innervation in Dinophilidae. This is furthermore supported by the similar immunoreactivity patterns of the tested neurotransmitters around the penis. Smaller differences in the immunoreactivity patterns around the seminal vesicles and spermioducts might account for additional, individual traits. We thus show morphological support for the putatively conserved role of FMRFamide, FVRIamide, MIP and serotonin in dinophilid copulatory behaviour.

THE INFLUENCE OF PITUITARY HOMOGRAFTS ON THE WEIGHT OF THE ACCESSORY REPRODUCTIVE ORGANS IN CASTRATED MALE MICE AND RATS AND ON MATING BEHAVIOUR IN MALE MICE

1970 ◽  
Vol 46 (3) ◽  
pp. 313-320 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. BARTKE ◽  
C. W. LLOYD
Keyword(s):  
Mating Behaviour ◽  
Reproductive Organs ◽  
Seminal Vesicles ◽  
Male Rats ◽  
Male Mice ◽  
Submandibular Glands ◽  
Rats And Mice ◽  
Dose Levels ◽  
Dwarf Mice ◽  
Small Testis

SUMMARY The effects of heterotopic pituitary homografts on the weight of the accessory reproductive structures, submandibular glands and kidneys were studied in castrated, castrated—adrenalectomized and castrated—hypophysectomized male rats and mice. In rats no consistent effects were seen; in mice the weights of the seminal vesicles, submandibular glands and kidneys were increased. When castrated mice were treated with prolactin or growth hormone (GH), singly or combined, the seminal vesicles responded to all three treatments at certain dose levels, while the submandibular glands were affected by GH only. The effects of pituitary isografts were compared in castrated and in intact hereditary dwarf mice. The weight of the submandibular glands was increased in both groups but that of the seminal vesicles only in intact dwarfs. It was concluded that in male mice prolactin exerts a small testis-independent influence on the reproductive system, and may also increase the production of androgen by the testis. Pituitary grafts had no effect on the restoration of mating behaviour in either castrated or castrated—hypophysectomized male mice treated with testosterone propionate.

scholarly journals Skin temperature and reproductive condition in wild female chimpanzees

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Guillaume Dezecache ◽  
Claudia Wilke ◽  
Nathalie Richi ◽  
Christof Neumann ◽  
Klaus Zuberbühler
Keyword(s):  
Skin Temperature ◽  
Mating Behaviour ◽  
Reproductive Organs ◽  
Male Mating ◽  
Wild Chimpanzee ◽  
Wild Female ◽  
Infrared Thermal Imaging ◽  
Pregnant Females ◽  
Vocal Behaviour ◽  
Reproductive Processes

Infrared thermal imaging has emerged as a valuable tool in veterinary medicine, in particular in evaluating reproductive processes. Here, we explored differences in skin temperature of cycling and pregnant wild chimpanzee females in Budongo Forest, Uganda. Based on previous literature, we predicted increased skin temperature when approaching peak fertility at the area of the reproductive organs of cycling females. For pregnant females, we made the same prediction, mainly because it has been argued that chimpanzee females have evolved mechanisms to conceal pregnancy, including exaggerated sexual swelling and sexually conspicuous vocal behaviour, and to encourage male mating behaviour in order to decrease their infanticidal tendencies by confusing paternity. Overall, we found only small changes in cycling females, with slight temperature increases towards the end of the swelling cycles but no overall increase in skin temperature between oestrous and non-oestrous phases. Interestingly, however, pregnant and cycling females had very similar skin temperatures. These results suggest that males cannot use skin temperature to discriminate between pregnant and non-pregnant/cycling females during maximal swelling, when ovulation is most likely to occur in cycling females. This pattern may be linked to the evolution of physiological means to conceal reproductive state in pregnant females.

scholarly journals Skin temperature and reproductive condition in wild female chimpanzees

PeerJ ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 5 ◽  
pp. e4116 ◽  
Author(s):  
Guillaume Dezecache ◽  
Claudia Wilke ◽  
Nathalie Richi ◽  
Christof Neumann ◽  
Klaus Zuberbühler
Keyword(s):  
Skin Temperature ◽  
Mating Behaviour ◽  
Reproductive Organs ◽  
Male Mating ◽  
Reproductive State ◽  
Wild Female ◽  
Infrared Thermal Imaging ◽  
Pregnant Females ◽  
Reproductive Processes ◽  
Budongo Forest

Infrared thermal imaging has emerged as a valuable tool in veterinary medicine, in particular for evaluating reproductive processes. Here, we explored differences in skin temperature of twenty female chimpanzees in Budongo Forest, Uganda, four of which were pregnant during data collection. Based on previous literature in other mammals, we predicted increased skin temperature of maximally swollen reproductive organs of non-pregnant females when approaching peak fertility. For pregnant females, we made the same prediction because it has been argued that female chimpanzees have evolved mechanisms to conceal pregnancy, including swellings of the reproductive organs, conspicuous copulation calling, and solicitation of male mating behaviour, to decrease the infanticidal tendencies of resident males by confusing paternity. For non-pregnant females, we found slight temperature increases towards the end of the swelling cycles but no significant change between the fertile and non-fertile phases. Despite their different reproductive state, pregnant females had very similar skin temperature patterns compared to non-pregnant females, suggesting little potential for males to use skin temperature to recognise pregnancies, especially during maximal swelling, when ovulation is most likely to occur in non-pregnant females. We discuss this pattern in light of the concealment hypothesis, i.e., that female chimpanzees have evolved physiological means to conceal their reproductive state during pregnancy.

scholarly journals The role of female dominance hierarchies in the mating behaviour of mosquitofish

2010 ◽  
Vol 7 (3) ◽  
pp. 343-345 ◽  
Author(s):  
Therese Chen ◽  
Madeleine Beekman ◽  
Ashley J. W. Ward
Keyword(s):  
Mate Choice ◽  
Mating Behaviour ◽  
Dominance Rank ◽  
Female Dominance ◽  
Male Mating ◽  
Female Size ◽  
Male Mate Choice ◽  
Dominance Hierarchies ◽  
Male Mate

While studies of sexual selection focus primarily on female choice and male–male competition, males should also exert mate choice in order to maximize their reproductive success. We examined male mate choice in mosquitofish, Gambusia holbrooki , with respect to female size and female dominance. We found that the number of mating attempts made by a male was predicted by the dominance rank of females in a group, with dominant females attracting more mating attempts than subordinates. The number of mating attempts made by males was independent of the female size. The observed bias in the number of mating attempts towards dominant females may be driven either by straightforward male mate choice, since dominance and female fecundity are often closely related, or via the dominant females mediating male mating behaviour by restricting their access to subordinate females.

scholarly journals Skin temperature and reproductive condition in wild female chimpanzees

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Guillaume Dezecache ◽  
Claudia Wilke ◽  
Nathalie Richi ◽  
Christof Neumann ◽  
Klaus Zuberbühler
Keyword(s):  
Skin Temperature ◽  
Mating Behaviour ◽  
Reproductive Organs ◽  
Male Mating ◽  
Wild Chimpanzee ◽  
Wild Female ◽  
Infrared Thermal Imaging ◽  
Pregnant Females ◽  
Vocal Behaviour ◽  
Reproductive Processes

Infrared thermal imaging has emerged as a valuable tool in veterinary medicine, in particular in evaluating reproductive processes. Here, we explored differences in skin temperature of cycling and pregnant wild chimpanzee females in Budongo Forest, Uganda. Based on previous literature, we predicted increased skin temperature when approaching peak fertility at the area of the reproductive organs of cycling females. For pregnant females, we made the same prediction, mainly because it has been argued that chimpanzee females have evolved mechanisms to conceal pregnancy, including exaggerated sexual swelling and sexually conspicuous vocal behaviour, and to encourage male mating behaviour in order to decrease their infanticidal tendencies by confusing paternity. Overall, we found only small changes in cycling females, with slight temperature increases towards the end of the swelling cycles but no overall increase in skin temperature between oestrous and non-oestrous phases. Interestingly, however, pregnant and cycling females had very similar skin temperatures. These results suggest that males cannot use skin temperature to discriminate between pregnant and non-pregnant/cycling females during maximal swelling, when ovulation is most likely to occur in cycling females. This pattern may be linked to the evolution of physiological means to conceal reproductive state in pregnant females.

Changes in the Male Reproductive Organs of the Dugong, Dugong dugon (Sirenia: Dugondidae) with Age and Reproductive Activity

1984 ◽  
Vol 32 (6) ◽  
pp. 721 ◽  
Author(s):  
H Marsh ◽  
GE Heinsohn ◽  
TD Glover
Keyword(s):  
Reproductive Tract ◽  
Prostate Gland ◽  
Reproductive Activity ◽  
Reproductive Organs ◽  
Seminal Vesicles ◽  
Growth Layer ◽  
Male Reproductive Tract ◽  
Qualitative And Quantitative ◽  
Quantitative Examination ◽  
Testicular Histology

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.

scholarly journals Kindlin-2 in Sertoli cells is essential for testis development and male fertility in mice

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (6) ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiaochun Chi ◽  
Weiwei Luo ◽  
Jiagui Song ◽  
Bing Li ◽  
Tiantian Su ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Sertoli Cells ◽  
Male Fertility ◽  
Nuclear Translocation ◽  
Hippo Pathway ◽  
Reproductive Organs ◽  
Male Reproduction ◽  
Barrier Structure ◽  
Male Mice ◽  
Sperm Development

AbstractKindlin-2 is known to play important roles in the development of mesoderm-derived tissues including myocardium, smooth muscle, cartilage and blood vessels. However, nothing is known for the role of Kindlin-2 in mesoderm-derived reproductive organs. Here, we report that loss of Kindlin-2 in Sertoli cells caused severe testis hypoplasia, abnormal germ cell development and complete infertility in male mice. Functionally, loss of Kindlin-2 inhibits proliferation, increases apoptosis, impairs phagocytosis in Sertoli cells and destroyed the integration of blood-testis barrier structure in testes. Mechanistically, Kindlin-2 interacts with LATS1 and YAP, the key components of Hippo pathway. Kindlin-2 impedes LATS1 interaction with YAP, and depletion of Kindlin-2 enhances LATS1 interaction with YAP, increases YAP phosphorylation and decreases its nuclear translocation. For clinical relevance, lower Kindlin-2 expression and decreased nucleus localization of YAP was found in SCOS patients. Collectively, we demonstrated that Kindlin-2 in Sertoli cells is essential for sperm development and male reproduction.

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