Cytokeratin polypeptide patterns of different epithelia of the human male urogenital tract: immunofluorescence and gel electrophoretic studies

Intermediate filament proteins of normal epithelia of the human and the bovine male urogenital tract and of certain human renal and bladder carcinomas have been studied by immunofluorescence microscopy and by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis of cytoskeletal fractions from microdissected tissue samples. The patterns of expression of cytokeratin polypeptides differ in the various epithelia. Filaments of a cytokeratin nature have been identified in all true epithelial cells of the male urogenital tract, including renal tubules and rete testis. Simple epithelia of renal tubules and collecting ducts of kidney, as well as rete testis, express only cytokeratin polypeptides nos. 7, 8, 18, and 19. In contrast, the transitional epithelia of renal pelvis, ureter, bladder, and proximal urethra contain, in addition to those polypeptides, cytokeratin no. 13 and small amounts of nos. 4 and 5. Most epithelia lining the human male reproductive tract, including those in the epididymis, ductus deferens, prostate gland, and seminal vesicle, synthesize cytokeratin no. 5 in addition to cytokeratins nos. 7, 8, 18, and 19 (cytokeratin no. 7 had not been detected in the prostate gland). Cytokeratin no. 17 has also been identified, but in very low amounts, in seminal vesicle and epididymis. The cytokeratin patterns of the urethra correspond to the gradual transition of the pseudostratified epithelium of the pars spongiosa (cytokeratins nos. 4, 5, 6, 13, 14, 15, and 19) to the stratified squamous epithelium of the fossa navicularis (cytokeratins nos. 5, 6, 10/11, 13, 15, and 19, and minor amounts of nos. 1 and 14). The noncornified stratified squamous epithelium of the glans penis synthesizes cytokeratin nos. 1, 5, 6, 10/11, 13, 14, 15, and 19. In immunofluorescence microscopy, selective cytokeratin antibodies reveal differential staining of different groups or layers of cells in several epithelia that may relate to the specific expression of cytokeratin polypeptides. Human renal cell carcinomas show a simple cytokeratin pattern consisting of cytokeratins nos. 8, 18, and 19, whereas transitional cell carcinomas of the bladder reveal additional cytokeratins such as nos. 5, 7, 13, and 17 in various proportions. The results shows that the wide spectrum of histological differentiation of the diverse epithelia present in the male urogenital tract is accompanied by pronounced changes in the expression of cytokeratin polypeptides and suggest that tumors from different regions of the urogenital tract may be distinguished by their cytokeratin complements.

Gonadal response to psychosocial stress in male tree shrews (Tupaia belangeri) morphometry of testis, epididymis and prostate

Male tree shrews (46 animals in all) were kept under distinct social conditions. Two kinds of controls were investigated: isolated animals as well as males out of female/male couples. Comparing these two groups only little isolation effect was observed. With the other individuals, initially isolated, dyads were formed which coexisted for 7 or 50 days. In a third group of dyads, after 50 days of coexistence social circumstances were aggravated for 5 more days by providing only half of the cage. All dyads established clear cut dominance relationship. Animals behaving dominantly developed no signs of gonadal regression rather that of stimulation concerning especially with the epididymis. In contrast, animals behaving as subordinates revealed profound regressive changes although differentiated with respect to any parameter, both morphological and conditional. In testis, chronical subordination (50 days, mainly 50 + 5 days) leads to a loss of organ weight, narrowing of seminiferous tubules and to enlarged spermatogonia nuclei. The case is similar in the epididymis: loss of organ weight, lowered epithelium and an enormously increased frequency of immature germ cells within tail segments. Whereas prostate weight drops continuously, striking histological regression occurs already after 7 days (extreme diminution of epithelial height and of epithelial cell nuclei).

Male mouse accessory sex glands in organ culture

Explants of epididymis, vas deferens, seminal vesicle, and coagulating gland from 10-12-week-old and 7-8-month-old male Swiss Webster mice were maintained in synthetic media without serum or hormones for up to 28 days. Differences were observed in the survival and responses of each gland and the behavior of the principal and basal cells. Epithelial cell migration was pronounced in the vas, moderate in the epididymis, and low in the seminal and coagulating gland. The incidence of basal cell proliferation, hyperplasia, and squamous metaplasia usually was positively related to the frequency of basal cells in the zero-time explants. Few differences were observed between the survival or responses of explants from young and old animals; however, explant culture appears useful for exploring fundamental properties of each accessory sex gland, especially the properties of basal cells.

Autoradiographic localization of 3H-dihydrotesterone in the reproductive organs of baboons

The uptake and retention of radiolabelled dihydrotestosterone or one of its metabolites by both the male and female reproductive organs were examined in the baboon 2 male and 2 female baboons were injected intravenously with 1 micrograms/kg body weight of 3H-dihydrotestosterone and 2 animals, 1 male and 1 female, were injected with both labelled and 100 micrograms/kg body weight of radio-inert dihydrotestosterone. 1.5 h the injections, the animals were sacrificed and the uterus, cervix, vagina, uterine tube, labia minora, seminal vesicles, prostate, ductus deferens, and prepuce were removed and treated for autoradiography. The stratified squamous epithelia of the cervix, vagina, labia minora and prepuce demonstrated uptake of label in the germinative, but not in the superficial, cell layers. The columnar cells lining the uterine tube and cervical glands, but not the uterine glands, were labelled. In addition, the nuclei of the cells in the luminal epithelium of the prostate and seminal vesicles contained silver grains. The interstitial cells of the seminal vesicles, prostate and ductus deferens, and the smooth muscle of the prostate and ductus deferens, but not the seminal vesicles, demonstrated an uptake of radioactivity.

[Structure of the finger-like gland connected to the reproductive organ of the Vaginula (mollusk)]

The morphology of the "finger-like" gland of Vaginula borelliana was studied at the light microscope. The examination of serial sections of the gland revealed two different kinds of secretory tubules. Such tubules show features quite different from those described in the multified gland of Helix. The most relevant finding is a layer of smooth-muscle cells interposed between the apical portion of secretory cells and the lumina of tubules. The secretory material seems to again the lumen of the tubule through discontinuities in the muscle layer. Such muscle layer probably plays a role in the pushing forward the secretory material, accumulated into the lumen, during copulation.

[Human sex skin fibroblast cultures : a useful tool for diagnosis of male pseudohermaphroditism due to target organ unresponsiveness to androgens (author's transl)]

Sex skin fibroblast cultures were reported to constitute a fair model for studying male pseudohermaphroditism (MPH) due to target organ unresponsiveness to androgens. Using this technique, we made the diagnosis of MPH due to steroid 5 alpha-reductase deficiency, complete or partial androgen insensitivity. This technique gave the opportunity to describe an unstable form of 5 alpha-reductase and a thermolability of androgen receptors responsible for MPH. This method permitted a better understanding of disorders of male sex differentiation.

Estrogen action in the male

Estrogen administration induces a migration of eosinophil leukocytes to ductus deferens.

Cytodifferentiation in the accessory glands of Tenebrio molitor II. Patterns of leucine incorporation in the tubular glands of post-ecdysial adult males

The tubular accessory gland of male mealworm beetles undergoes rapid and progressive terminal differentiation in the 8-day period after ecdysis to the adult. Total protein and RNA content are maximal at five and eight days respectively. Rates of leucine incorporation rise gradually through the first four days and then increase abruptly in the 5-to 7-day interval. SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis demonstrates a variety of proteins; two classes with high mobility (Class A and B) appear prominent in homogenates of 5- to 8-day glands. Double-label procedures show that as the glands mature, an increasing proportion of the total leucine incorporation passes into Class A and B proteins, until at eight days, Class A and B proteins account for 50% of the total for the gland. The relative incorporation into A vs. B also changes linearly over this interval. The developmental program of the tubular gland includes both a linearly biosynthetic increase in the proportion of differentiation-specific proteins and an abrupt change in the overall rates of leucine incorporation.

Intraepithelial lymphocytes in the male reproductive tract of rats and rhesus monkeys

Although lymphocytes are never present in 'normal ' seminiferous epithelium, they are found in the terminal portions of the seminiferous tubles near their junctions with the tubuli recti. Intraepithelia lymphocytes are also found in the tubuli recti testis, ductuli efferentes, epididymis and ductus deferens. The ultrastructural morphology of these cells closely resembles that of the intraepithelial lymphocytes in the intestinal mucosa and those obtained from the lymph nodes, spleen blood and thoracic duct. The mucleus is spherical and is characterized by clumps of chromatin near the nuclear membrane. A thin rim of cytoplasm is usually found, and is remarkably free of most cell organelles except for free ribosomes. Frequently, a blunt cytoplasmic process can be seen extending from one end of the cell. Membrane-bounded granules and other dense bodies are occasionally encountered in the cytoplasm. The possible functional significance of intraepithelial lymphocytes in the male reproductive tract is discussed.