Browsing by Subject "Seminal vesicle"

Now showing 1 - 4 of 4
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    Distribution of vasoactive intestinal peptide and calcitonin gene-related peptide immunoreactive nerve fibers and binding sites in the hamster seminal vesicle during post-natal development
    (Murcia : F. Hernández, 1999) Afonso, F.; Pinho, M.S.; Fernandes, P.; Mata, L.R.; Gulbenkian, S.
    The distribution of vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP)- and calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP)-immunoreactive nerves and 125~-labeledV IPand CGRP-binding sites was studied in the hamster seminal vesicle of 12-, 30- and 60-day-old animals. In addition, the general innervation of the seminal vesicle was examined using the general neuronal marker synaptophysin. Our results show that the densities of the overall (synaptophysin immunoreactive) and CGRP-immunoreactive innervation is constant during the post-natal development of the gland. However, a significant decrease in VIP-containing nerves is observed at the end of puberty. The autoradiographic study revealed that in 12-day-old animals, the epithelium presents VIP binding sites. However, in 30-day-old animals, VIP binding sites are observed in the epithelium of only a few clumps of acini. In 60-day-old animals, the gland is composed of acini with dilated lumina where VIP binding sites are not detected. In all groups studied the epithelium does not exhibit CGRP binding sites. The seminal vesicle muscle layer displays specific binding sites for both VIP and CGRP at all post-natal developmental times, but the density of VIP binding sites is higher in 12- than in 30- and 60-day-old animals. Our results, showing the presence of specific VIP and CGRP binding sites during the development of the hamster seminal vesicle, suggest that these neuropeptides may be involved in the growth and differentiation of the gland.
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    Ecophysiological responses of the seminal vesicle of Libyan jird (Meriones libycus) to the Saharan conditions: histological, morphometric and immunohistochemical analysis
    (Murcia : F. Hernández, 2007) Belhocine, M.; Gernigon-Spychalowicz, T.; Robert, A-M.; Schoevaert, D.; Bennazzoug, Y.; Exbrayat, J.M.
    The Libyan jird (Meriones libycus) is a nocturnal Saharan Rodent submitted to a seasonal cycle of reproduction characterized by a short active period during spring and beginning of summer, and a long phase of sexual quiescence from the end of summer until the end of winter. During this cycle, the male reproductive organs, and more particularly seminal vesicles, experience some important weight and histological variations. During the breeding period, the wall of each seminal vesicle describes several folds radiating inside a broad lumen filled with a very abundant secretion. The wall is limited with high columnar epithelial cells surrounded with extracellular matrix restricted to some connnective fibres located in the narrow axis of the folds and in the chorion. The fibro-muscular wall is narrow. During sexual quiescence, the seminal vesicles regress. No secretion has been observed inside the lumen. The wall of lumen is now surrounded with a single cubic epithelium. The persistent epithelial folds possess a wide axis. The hypertrophied extracellular matrix is constituted with a very tight and abundant connective tissue. The fibro-muscular wall is thick. A quantitative morphometric study was performed with automatic image analysis that allowed to quantify The numerical values obtained agree with the histological images observed, the epithelial surface area (μm2) is high in spring and significantly weak during sexual quiescence. The stroma and the fibro-muscular wall occupy an important surface area on sections during the resting period compared with the value collected during the active phase. The study of the apoptosis by TUNEL method revealed the presence of a considerable number of apoptotic nuclei in the epithelial fraction during the resting phase. The indirect immunohistochemical method allowed us to visualize the presence of types I and III collagen in the extracellular matrix, weak during the period of breeding, intense and diffuse during the resting season like in castrated Meriones libycus.
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    Immunoexpression of gelatinase (MMP-2 and MMP-9) in the seminal vesicles and ventral prostate of Libyan jird (Meriones libycus) during the seasonal cycle of reproduction
    (Murcia : F. Hernández, 2010) Belhocine, M.; Gernigon-Spychalowicz, T.; Jacob, M.P.; Benazzoug, Y.; Exbrayat, Jean Marie
    An immunohistochemical study of matrix metalloproteinases (MMP-2 and MMP-9) or gelatinase (gelatinase A and gelatinase B) was performed on the seminal vesicles and ventral prostate of the Libyan jird (Meriones libycus) collected in the Beni-Abbes area during breeding period (spring and early summer), during resting phase (late summer, autumn, winter) and from castrated animals in the spring. The work was done using the indirect immunohistochemistry protocol by amplification with streptavidin-biotin-peroxidase and AEC as chromogen. In the seminal vesicles, during the breeding period, an important immunohistochemical signal of MMP-2 and MMP-9 was observed in epithelial cells and smooth muscle cells (SMC) without any immunoexpression in the extracellular matrix (ECM) and secretion. During resting phase and in thirty days castrated Meriones libycus, the MMP-2 and MMP-9 immunoexpression was weak in the epithelial cells and persisted with the same intensity in the SMC. The ECM, with no immunostaining in active season, showed a pronounced immunoresponse of both the two gelatinase. Three days after castration, the MMP-9 immunohistochemical reaction in epithelial cells and SMC was as intense as during active season. A prolonged castration of 50 and 90 days resulted in the maintenance of the MMP-9 immunostaining in epithelial cells and SMC and its disappearance from the ECM, suggesting a slow process of regression. During the breeding period, in the ventral prostate, MMP-2 immunostaining was more important in the SMC than in epithelial cells. The MMP-9 immunoexpression pattern was the opposite, the epithelial cells showed a higher immunoreaction than SMC. ECM and secretion lacked MMP-2 and MMP-9 immunostaining. The ventral prostate lumen contained a granular secretion without any gelatinase immunolabelling and was hollowed by empty circular forms reflecting the disappearance of the product in these areas. Part of the secretion showed a positive MMP-2 and MMP-9 immunoreaction. The latter was subsequently filled and seemed involved in the progression of the secretion in the tubules, preventing their filling. In resting phase and in animals castrated since thirty days, the immunoreactivity of both the two gelatinases was maintained in the epithelial cells and in the SMC, and was absent in the ECM. The gelatinases are involved in the seasonal reproductive cycle of Meriones libycus
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    Physiological functions of seminal vesicle secretions in male fertility
    (2026) Taichi Noda1; Ayumu Taira1; Biología Celular e Histología; Universidad de Murcia, Departamento de Biologia Celular e Histiologia
    In many mammals, accessory gland secretions are ejaculated into the female reproductive tract, along with sperm, and the prostates and seminal vesicles are the main glands responsible for these secretions. Cauda epididymal sperm can efficiently fertilize eggs in vitro; however, we found that seminal vesicle secretions improved sperm fertilization rates in vivo by artificial insemination. Furthermore, using the seminal vesicle-removed mice, other studies have shown that seminal vesicle secretions contribute to embryogenesis and offspring health by regulating the environment in the female reproductive tract. These results indicate the significance of accessory gland secretions in fertilization and development in vivo. More than 700 proteins are present in the accessory glands, and genome editing accelerates the functional analysis of these proteins at the individual level. For example, some studies reported results from phenotypic analyses of genetically modified mice that were different from those of in vitro experiments. In this review, we discuss the current findings on the effects of accessory gland secretions on male fertility and the future prospects. Histol Histopathol