• Development and Reproduction
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.245-255
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• 2021

The spermatozoa become mature in the epididymis which is divided into initial segment and caput, corpus, and cauda epididymis. The water movement across the epididymal epithelium is important for creating luminal microenvironment for sperm maturation. Aquaporins (Aqps) are water channel proteins, and expression of Aqps is regulated by androgens. The current research was focused to examine expressional regulation of Aqp1 and Aqp9 by an androgenic-anabolic steroid, nandrolone decanoate (ND). The ND at the low dose (2 mg/kg body weight/week) or high dose (10 mg) was subcutaneously administrated into male rats for 2 or 12 weeks. Transcript levels of Aqp1 and Aqp9 were determined by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analyses. In the initial segment, level of Aqp1 was decreased with 12 week-treatment, while Aqp9 level was decreased by the high dose treatment for 12 weeks. In the caput epididymis, Aqp9 expression was decreased by the low dose treatment. The 2 week-treatment resulted in an increase of Aqp1 level but a decrease of Aqp9 expression in the corpus epididymis. In the corpus epididymis, the 12 week-treatment at the low dose caused the reduction of Aqp1 and Aqp9 levels, but the high dose treatment resulted in an increase of Aqp1 expression and a decrease of Aqp9 level. In the cauda epididymis, Aqp1 expression was decreased by 2 and 12 week-treatments, while increases of Aqp9 levels was detected with the high dose treatment for 2 weeks and with 12 week-treatment. These findings indicate differential regulation of Aqp1 and Aqp9 expression among epididymal segments by ND.

• Animal cells and systems
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• v.8 no.3
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• pp.197-203
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• 2004

CD30 is a member of tumor necrosis factor receptor (TNFR) superfamily and has pleiotropic functions including cell activation, proliferation, differentiation, and death, depending on cell types and stage of differentiation. Although CD30 expression has been described mainly in hematopoietic tissues, several types of nonhematopoietic tumors including embryonic carcinoma and germ-cell tumors express CD30. We examined CD30 distribution in the testis and epididymis from wild type and CD30-deficient mice. In the testis, spermatogonia, spermatocytes and Sertoli cells expressed CD30, but not in spermatids. Spermatogonia and spermatocytes near the basement membrane strongly reacted to anti-CD30. In the epididymis, CD30 expression was exclusively observed in luminal epithelia and some interstitial cells. Taken together, these results show a spatio-temporal regulation of CD30 expression in mouse testis and epididymis and suggest a possible role of CD30 in spermatogonia and spermatocytes.

• Advances in Traditional Medicine
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.67-72
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• 2008

Adult male albino rats were treated with 0.5 mg and 0.75 mg morphine/100 g body weight intraperitoneally for 30 days. All the animals were autopsied on $31^{st}$ day. Epididymis and vas deferens were dissected out, weighed and processed for histological and biochemical studies. Morphine has caused a reduction in the weight of epididymis and vas deferens in both the doses of drug treated groups. The total cholesterol content is increased while protein, DNA and RNA contents and epididymal sperm counts are decreased. The acid phosphatase content is decreased 10.12 $\pm$ 0.11 in caput, 9.26 $\pm$ 0.30 in cauda of epididymis and in vas deferens 8.14 $\pm$ 0.15 in 0.5 mg treated groups and in 0.75 mg treated rats shows 9.52 $\pm$ 0.27 in caput, 9.14 $\pm$ 0.18 in cauda of epididymis and in vas deferens 7.84 $\pm$ 0.11is decreased, whereas alkaline phosphatase is increased. The surface epithelial cell height of these ducts is reduced and secretory activity is inhibited with the disruption of epithelial cell projections. The gravimetric and histometric changes of epididymis and vas deferens may be due to non-availability of androgens in morphine treated rats.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• v.63 no.2
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• pp.262-271
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• 2021

Communication among epididymal epithelial cells creates the best luminal condition where spermatozoa mature, transport and are stored. Vacuolar ATPase (V-ATPase) and cytokeratin 5 (KRT5) have been used as signal indicators for clear and basal cells of the epididymal epithelium, respectively, in mice, rats, bats, and pigs; however, these two markers have not yet been described in the epididymis of bulls. Here, we examined the presence and distribution of the B1 subunit of V-ATPase (B1-VATPase) and KRT5 in the distinct regions of adult bovine epididymides, specifically, the caput, corpus, and cauda. Immunofluorescence staining and confocal microscopy showed that narrow shaped-clear cells were placed in the caput and corpus regions of the bovine epididymis; however, they were absent in the cauda epididymis. In addition, B1-VATPase was highly expressed in the cauda spermatozoa; however, it was rarely detected in the caput spermatozoa. On the other hand, KRT5-positive cells, basal cells, were maintained beneath the basal lamina and they had the traditional form with a dome-shaped morphology from the caput to cauda region of the bovine epididymis. The co-expression of B1-VATPase and KRT5 was confined to basal cells placed in the basal region of the epithelium. In summary, 1) clear cells were present with region-specific localization, 2) B1-VATPase was present in the corpus and cauda spermatozoa but absent in the caput, 3) co-expressed cells with B1-VATPase and KRT5 were present in the adult bovine epididymis, and 4) B1-VATPase was not a specific marker for clear cells in the bovine epididymis. Therefore, the perfect epididymal luminal condition created by the specific expression and localization patterns of B1-VATPase might be necessary to obtain fertilizing capacity of spermatozoa in the bovine epididymis.

• 대한생식의학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2006.06a
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• pp.167.2-167.2
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• 2006

• The Korean Journal of Zoology
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.264-274
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• 1989

In order to study the influence of spermatozoa and testicular fluid on the component and composition of proteins in epididymal fluid of mice, histological differentiation of testis and epididymis were observed during sexual maturation, and the proteins in epididymal fluids collected according to the characteristics of lumination were analyzed by electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE). In 10 day-old mouse, both of,testis and epididymis were undifferentiated. In 20 day-old mouse, epididymis was primitively luminated, but testis was not. In 35 day-old mouse, both of testis and epididymis were luminated and eaithdymal epithelium was differentiated into principal cells and clear cells. Spermatozoa were not transfered into epididymis yet. However, in 80 day-old mouse, both of festis and epididymis were fully differentiated and spermatozoa were transfered into epididymis. In electrophoretic paftem of proteins in epididymal fluid, a total of 28 kinds of proteins were identified, which were different from those of their sera. 12 kinds out of these proteins were epididymal specific protein(ESP) detected in epididymal fluid only, and the other 16 kinds(TEP) were also detected in testicular fluid. The proteins in epididymal fluid changed during sexual maturation and 3 kinds of the proteins changed quantitatively according to epididymal regions in adult. It may be concluded from the above results that the component and composition of the proteins in epididymal fluid changed by the influx of testicular fluid including spermatozoa into epididymis and regulation of the protein synthesis, secretion and/or absorption by the epididymal epithelium. Therefore it is strongly suggested that ESP and TEP in epididymal fluid play somehow significant roles on the maturation of epididymal spermatozoa.

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.271-276
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• 2015

The aim of the study was to investigate the ability of sperm derived from the epididymis in regard to sperm motility, sperm penetration to oocyte and subsequent development of the embryo. Frozen-thawed sperm from epididymis showed similar percentage of motile sperm (VSL ${\geq}25{\mu}m/sec$) as compared to that of commercial sperm (control). Sperm penetration of frozen-thawed epididymal and commercial sperm was not significantly different. Moreover, cleavage and blastocyst rates were similar in both epididymal and control. Sperm derived from the epididymis also showed fertilizability and subsequent embryonic development.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.157-161
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• 1999

Recent studies clearly demonstrated that the novel expression of LH gene in the rat testis, and suggested the local action of the LH-like molecule. The present study was performed to analyze the expression of LH genes in the rat accessory reproductive organs. Expression of LH subunit genes in the rat uterus and epididymis was demonstrated by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and specific LH radioimmunoassay (RIA). The $LH_{beta}$ transcripts in these organs contained the published cDNA structure, the pituitary type exons 1-3, which encoded the entire $LH_{beta}$ polypeptide. Presence of the transcripts for the ${\alpha}$-subunit in the rat reproductive tissues were also confirmed by RT-PCR. In the LH RIA, significant levels of LH were detected in crude extracts from the rat ovary, uterus and epididymis. The competition curves with increasing amount of tissue extracts were parallel with those of standard peptide, indicating that the immunoreactive LH-like materials in these tissues are similar to authentic pituitary LH molecule. In rat epididymis, the highest amount of immunoreactive LH was detected in corpus area. Our findings demonstrated that the genes for LH subunits are expressed in the rat accessory reproductive organs, and suggested that these extrapituitary LH may act as a local regulator with auto and/or paracrine manner.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.165-171
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• 1992

The developmental process of the epididymis was investigated in Meishan boars from 1 to 364 days of age. Epididymal weight increased rapidly between 45 and 150-180 days of age. The diameter and epithelial area of the epididymal ducts greatly increased up to 105-120 days of age. At 1 day of age, the central and distal cauda already had a pseudostratified epithelium surrounded by smooth muscle. At 60-75 days of age, the central and distal caput, corpus, and proximal cauda revealed a well-developed structure of the epithelium. The proximal caput showed a tall, irregular and vacuolar epithelium at 105-120 days of age. PAS-positive contents in the lumen of the caput, corpus and cauda epididymides were first detected at 60-75, 45-60 and 1-30 days of age, respectively. Moreover, in the central and distal caput, PAS-positive granules appeared at 60-75 days of age, and increased until 105-120 days. These results suggest that the epididymis develops completely by approximately 120 days of age, though its weight increases rapidly up to 150-180 days. Thus, it appears that development of the epididymis occurs at an earlier age in Meishan boars than in European and American breeds.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.28 no.5
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• pp.441-446
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• 2009

During epididymal transit, mammalian sperm acquire selected proteins secreted by the epididymis. We previously showed that a disintegrin and metalloprotease (ADAM) 7 is expressed specifically in the epididymis and transferred to the sperm surface during epididymal transit. Here, we show that mouse ADAM7 secreted to the epididymal lumen is associated with membranous vesicles known as epididymosomes. Furthermore, we found that ADAM7 can be transferred directly from epididymal vesicles to sperm and that it is an integral plasma membrane protein in sperm. Thus, our study provides new information regarding the unique mode of secretion and interaction of ADAM7 during the epididymis-to-sperm transfer process.