• Applied Microscopy
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.345-362
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• 1998

In order to the comparative morphological study of the non-ciliated and ciliated epithelial cells, and to elucidate the process of degeneration of non-ciliated epithelial cell of the ductus epididymidis, Korean striped field mouse, Apodemus agrarius coreae was examined with light and transmission electron microscopes. The morphological characteristics of non-ciliated epithelial cell, the cell types of the caput epididymidis (Cp), corpus epididymidis (Cr) and cauda epididymidis (Cu) were long-columnar, short-columnar and short-cuboudal, respectively. The mitochondria and rough endoplasmic reticulum tended to be broken as they immigrated from Cp to the Cu. The Golgi acted vigorously at the Cp, but the Golgi was inactive in Cr and Cu. The secretory vesicles and lysosomes were increased gradually from Cp to the Cu. The process of degeneration of the non-ciliated epithelial cells observed in the Cp, Cr and Cu epididymidis. The increase of the non-ciliated epithelial cells, and its degeneration were observed more often from Cp to the Cu. The morphological characteristics of the ciliated epithelial cells, the cell types of the Cp, Cr and Cu were long-columnar, short-columnar and short-cuboudal, respecptively like the non-ciliated epithelial cells. The stereocilia was long and slender at the Cp and Cr, while Cu was very short. The pinocytotic vesicles and absorptive vesicles were increased from the Cp to the Cu. Numerous disintergrated products was existed at the Cr including the Cp, but Cu were not observed. A significant amount of lysosomes existed at the Cp and Cr epithelial cells, but they were not observed in Cu epithelial cells.

• The Korean Journal of Zoology
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.67-76
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• 1977

The periodic changes of testis and \ulcorner션 epididymidis in Korean hibernating bats, the oriental discoloured bats (Vesportilio superans Thomas) and the Korean greater horseshoe bats (Rhinolophus ferrumequinum korak Kuroda) were studied in order to clarify the possibility of correlation between their histological findings and one of physiological facets, hibernation, and the results obtained were as follows: 1. The spermatogenic function of the oriental discoloured bats obtained in July and August was depressed although the spermatocytes showed a considerable cell proliferation. Few mature sperms were observed in the seminiferous tubules of the bat obtained in August. 2. The spermatogenic function of the Korean greater horeshoe bats obtained in September was not remalkable but a considerable number of sperms were stored in the excretory ducts which were characterized by existence of para-tubular spaces in the ductus epididymidis. 3. The spermatogenic epithelia of the Korean greater horseshoe bats obtained in December showed histologically atrophied figures. However, a vast number of sperm remained in extremely expaned luminae of the ductuc epididymidis which epithelial cells were maintained rectangular in shape. 4. These results suggest that there are periodic changes of the spermatogenic epithelia and the excretory ducts, and that those histological changes are closely related to their wintering.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.1-9
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• 1997

Acrosome reaction usually occures just before fertilization in most mammals, and it has been known that $Ca^{2+}$ plays an important role in the acrosome reaction and albumin also known as a critical factor for spermatozoan activities. The present study has been designed in order to observe maturing processes of the spermatozoa occurred in the ductus epididymidis and to clarify the relationships of $Ca^{2+}$ concentrations with those processes, and to compare the enzymatic activities of ATPase and the lactate dehydrogenase of the spermatozoa in accordance with time before and after the spermatozoan maturation. From the results, we can confirm that most of the bat spermatozoa come to maturity within the epididymal cauda and may pass through capacitation outside the cauda. However it is expected to be studied that the fluctuation of spermatogenic activity depending on temperature changes and their relationships with the ductus epididymidis and their mutual influences.