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Major AT, Estermann MA, Roly ZY, Smith CA. An evo-devo perspective of the female reproductive tract. Biol Reprod 2021; 106:9-23. [PMID: 34494091 DOI: 10.1093/biolre/ioab166] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2021] [Revised: 08/19/2021] [Accepted: 08/23/2021] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
The vertebrate female reproductive tract has undergone considerable diversification over evolution, having become physiologically adapted to different reproductive strategies. This review considers the female reproductive tract from the perspective of evolutionary developmental biology (evo-devo). Very little is known about how the evolution of this organ system has been driven at the molecular level. In most vertebrates, the female reproductive tract develops from paired embryonic tubes, the Müllerian ducts. We propose that formation of the Müllerian duct is a conserved process that has involved co-option of genes and molecular pathways involved in tubulogenesis in the adjacent mesonephric kidney and Wolffian duct. Downstream of this conservation, genetic regulatory divergence has occurred, generating diversity in duct structure. Plasticity of the Hox gene code and wnt signaling, in particular, may underlie morphological variation of the uterus in mammals, and evolution of the vagina. This developmental plasticity in Hox and Wnt activity may also apply to other vertebrates, generating the morphological diversity of female reproductive tracts evident today.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew T Major
- Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, 3800. Australia
| | - Martin A Estermann
- Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, 3800. Australia
| | - Zahida Y Roly
- Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, 3800. Australia
| | - Craig A Smith
- Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, 3800. Australia
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2
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Souza E, Almeida‐Santos SM. Reproduction in the bushmaster (
Lachesis muta
): Uterine muscular coiling and female sperm storage. ACTA ZOOL-STOCKHOLM 2020. [DOI: 10.1111/azo.12369] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/30/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Eletra Souza
- Departamento de Ecologia Instituto de Biociências Universidade de São Paulo São Paulo Brazil
- Departamento de Zoologia e Botânica Instituto de Biociências, Letras e Ciências Exatas Universidade Estadual Paulista “Júlio de Mesquita Filho” São José do Rio Preto Brazil
- Laboratório de Ecologia e Evolução Instituto Butantan São Paulo Brazil
| | - Selma Maria Almeida‐Santos
- Departamento de Zoologia e Botânica Instituto de Biociências, Letras e Ciências Exatas Universidade Estadual Paulista “Júlio de Mesquita Filho” São José do Rio Preto Brazil
- Laboratório de Ecologia e Evolução Instituto Butantan São Paulo Brazil
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3
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Silva KMP, Barros VA, Rojas CA, Almeida-Santos SM. Infundibular sperm storage and uterine muscular twisting in the Amazonian lancehead, Bothrops atrox. Anat Rec (Hoboken) 2019; 303:3145-3154. [PMID: 31674144 DOI: 10.1002/ar.24309] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2019] [Revised: 09/19/2019] [Accepted: 09/26/2019] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Although knowledge about the reproduction of snakes of the genus Bothrops has increased recently, many questions remain regarding sperm storage by these neotropical pitvipers. The relationship between two known sperm storage sites-the nonglandular uterus and the infundibulum-has yet to be detailed for Bothrops. In addition, the formation of uterine muscular twisting (UMT) and its function in sperm storage in the nonglandular uterus have been questioned. This article presents data on both sperm storage sites (posterior infundibulum and nonglandular uterus) in the Amazonian lancehead, Bothrops atrox, aiming to address the role of UMT in bothropoid reproduction considering female reproductive stages, timing of sperm storage, and morphology and histochemistry of sperm receptacles. The oviduct of B. atrox is composed of the infundibulum (anterior and posterior), the glandular uterus, the nonglandular uterus and the pouch. Sperm storage occurs in the posterior infundibulum and nonglandular uterus in vitellogenic females. In the posterior infundibulum sperm is stored in receptacles, while in the nonglandular uterus it is stored in crypts in the UMT of vitellogenic females. Both sperm storage sites possess granules testing positive for neutral mucopolysaccharides in the presence of spermatozoa, possibly favoring the conditions for spermatozoa surveillance during sperm storage in the reproductive tract.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karina M P Silva
- Programa de Pós-graduação em Anatomia dos Animais Domésticos e Silvestres, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.,Laboratório de Ecologia e Evolução, Instituto Butantan, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Verônica A Barros
- Laboratório de Ecologia e Evolução, Instituto Butantan, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Claudio A Rojas
- Laboratório de Ecologia e Evolução, Instituto Butantan, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Selma M Almeida-Santos
- Programa de Pós-graduação em Anatomia dos Animais Domésticos e Silvestres, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.,Laboratório de Ecologia e Evolução, Instituto Butantan, São Paulo, Brazil
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4
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Silva KM, Silva KB, Sueiro LR, Oliveira MEE, Almeida-Santos SM. Reproductive Biology of Bothrops atrox (Serpentes, Viperidae, Crotalinae) from the Brazilian Amazon. HERPETOLOGICA 2019. [DOI: 10.1655/d-18-00023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Karina M.P. Silva
- Laboratório de Ecologia e Evolução, Instituto Butantan, 05503-900 São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Kalena B. Silva
- Laboratório de Ecologia e Evolução, Instituto Butantan, 05503-900 São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Leticia R. Sueiro
- Laboratório de Ecologia e Evolução, Instituto Butantan, 05503-900 São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Maria Ermelinda E.S. Oliveira
- Departamento de Parasitologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal do Amazonas, 69067-005 Manaus, AM, Brazil
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5
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Bassi EA, de Oliveira C, Braz HB, de Almeida-Santos SM. How Does Oocyte Uptake Occur? A Macroscopic Study of the Ovarian and Oviductal Modifications for Egg Capture in the Coral-Snake Micrurus corallinus. Anat Rec (Hoboken) 2018; 301:1936-1943. [PMID: 30289202 DOI: 10.1002/ar.23904] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2017] [Revised: 01/21/2018] [Accepted: 01/31/2018] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
The processes of follicular development, ovulation, egg capture, and egg transport vary among vertebrates. Therefore, analysis of the reproductive tract of several lineages is needed for understanding the evolutionary changes of the reproductive system. In turtles, the ovulated eggs are released into the coelomic cavity and taken up by one of the two oviducts, a phenomenon called extrauterine migration of eggs. However, the process of egg uptake in lizards is different. The egg is ovulated directly into the infundibulum, and oocyte uptake by the contralateral oviduct rarely occurs. The same pattern has been hypothesized to occur in snakes. To test this hypothesis, we analyzed the reproductive tract of female Micrurus corallinus preserved in zoological collections. We examined the anatomical characteristics of the infundibulum and ovary and compared the reproductive output between the ovaries to verify the mechanism of egg capture and the anatomical viability of extrauterine migration of eggs. The reproductive output of the right ovary was higher than that of the left ovary, and the higher number of eggs in the right oviduct is due exclusively to the production of the ipsilateral ovary. Several anatomical features prevent extrauterine migration of eggs, including the asymmetry of the reproductive system, the arrangement of the ovarian follicles in a single row, and the formation of a wrapping around the ovary and infundibulum by the visceral pleuroperitoneum membrane (preventing against ectopic eggs). Therefore, the hypothesis of egg capture by the contralateral oviduct is anatomically infeasible in M. corallinus and possibly in other snakes. Anat Rec, 301:1936-1943, 2018. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erick Augusto Bassi
- Laboratório de Ecologia e Evolução, Instituto Butantan, São Paulo, Brazil.,Departamento de Biologia, Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP), Instituto de Biociências, Letras e Ciências Exatas (IBILCE), São Paulo, Brazil.,Programa de Pós-graduação em Biologia Animal, Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP), Instituto de Biociências, Letras e Ciências Exatas (IBILCE), São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Classius de Oliveira
- Departamento de Biologia, Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP), Instituto de Biociências, Letras e Ciências Exatas (IBILCE), São Paulo, Brazil.,Programa de Pós-graduação em Biologia Animal, Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP), Instituto de Biociências, Letras e Ciências Exatas (IBILCE), São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Henrique B Braz
- Laboratório de Ecologia e Evolução, Instituto Butantan, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Selma Maria de Almeida-Santos
- Laboratório de Ecologia e Evolução, Instituto Butantan, São Paulo, Brazil.,Programa de Pós-graduação em Biologia Animal, Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP), Instituto de Biociências, Letras e Ciências Exatas (IBILCE), São Paulo, Brazil
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Muniz‐Da‐Silva DF, Passos J, Siegel DS, Almeida‐Santos SM. Caudal oviduct coiling in a viperid snake,
Crotalus durissus. ACTA ZOOL-STOCKHOLM 2018. [DOI: 10.1111/azo.12271] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Diego F. Muniz‐Da‐Silva
- Setor de Anatomia, Departamento de Cirurgia, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia Universidade São Paulo, Cidade Universitária São Paulo Brazil
- Laboratório de Ecologia e Evolução Instituto Butantan São Paulo Brazil
| | - Juliana Passos
- Setor de Anatomia, Departamento de Cirurgia, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia Universidade São Paulo, Cidade Universitária São Paulo Brazil
- Laboratório de Ecologia e Evolução Instituto Butantan São Paulo Brazil
| | - Dustin S. Siegel
- Department of Biology Southeast Missouri State University Cape Girardeau Missouri
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7
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Braz HB, Almeida-Santos SM, Murphy CR, Thompson MB. Uterine and eggshell modifications associated with the evolution of viviparity in South American water snakes (Helicopsspp.). JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL ZOOLOGY PART B-MOLECULAR AND DEVELOPMENTAL EVOLUTION 2018; 330:165-180. [DOI: 10.1002/jez.b.22800] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2017] [Revised: 03/08/2018] [Accepted: 03/13/2018] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Henrique B. Braz
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences; University of Sydney; Sydney Australia
- Laboratório de Ecologia e Evolução; Instituto Butantan; São Paulo Brazil
- Departamento de Anatomia; Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia; Universidade de São Paulo; São Paulo Brazil
| | - Selma M. Almeida-Santos
- Laboratório de Ecologia e Evolução; Instituto Butantan; São Paulo Brazil
- Departamento de Anatomia; Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia; Universidade de São Paulo; São Paulo Brazil
| | - Christopher R. Murphy
- Discipline of Anatomy and Histology; School of Medical Science and Bosch Institute; University of Sydney; Sydney Australia
| | - Michael B. Thompson
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences; University of Sydney; Sydney Australia
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8
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Rojas CA, Barros VA, Almeida-Santos SM. A histological and ultrastructural investigation of the female reproductive system of the water snake (Erythrolamprus miliaris
): Oviductal cycle and sperm storage. ACTA ZOOL-STOCKHOLM 2017. [DOI: 10.1111/azo.12234] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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9
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Loebens L, Rojas CA, Almeida-Santos SM, Cechin SZ. Reproductive biology ofPhilodryas patagoniensis(Snakes: Dipsadidae) in south Brazil: Female reproductive cycle. ACTA ZOOL-STOCKHOLM 2017. [DOI: 10.1111/azo.12200] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Luiza Loebens
- Laboratory of Herpetology; Santa Maria Federal University; Santa Maria Rio Grande do Sul Brazil
| | | | | | - Sonia Zanini Cechin
- Laboratory of Herpetology; Santa Maria Federal University; Santa Maria Rio Grande do Sul Brazil
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10
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Sperm storage and morphofunctional bases of the female reproductive tract of the snake Philodryas patagoniensis from southeastern Brazil. ZOOMORPHOLOGY 2015. [DOI: 10.1007/s00435-015-0283-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
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11
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Shankar G, Sagar BKC, Kumari TRS, Marathe GK. Ultrastructural Features of Sperm Storage Tubules in the Oviduct of the Indian Garden Lizard, Calotes Versicolor. Anat Rec (Hoboken) 2015; 298:1932-7. [PMID: 26270354 DOI: 10.1002/ar.23257] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2015] [Revised: 06/13/2015] [Accepted: 06/18/2015] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
This study provides the first description of the ultrastructural features of sperm storage tubules (SSTs) in the uterovaginal region of the oviduct of the Indian garden lizard, Calotes versicolor. Abundant spermatozoa along with copious secretory material were found in the lumen of the SSTs. These secretory granules appeared similar in electron density to those found in the epithelial cells lining the SSTs indicating their similar origin. The close physical proximity of sperm with these granules suggests an intimate association between the two. The present study is also the first report of recovery of motile sperm from the flushings of SSTs in C. versicolor. The density of sperm found in the flushings varied, being most abundant during the reproductive phase and minimum/absent during the regressive phase. Understanding the microenvironment of the SSTs, the nature of the secretory granules and their interaction with sperm can guide us in unraveling the biology of oviductal sperm storage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Goutham Shankar
- Department of Studies in Biochemistry, University of Mysore, Manasagangotri, Mysore, Karnataka, India.,Department of Zoology, St. Philomena's College, Bannimantap, Mysore, Karnataka, India
| | | | | | - Gopal Kedihithlu Marathe
- Department of Studies in Biochemistry, University of Mysore, Manasagangotri, Mysore, Karnataka, India
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12
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Blackburn DG, Starck JM. Morphological specializations for fetal maintenance in viviparous vertebrates: An introduction and historical retrospective. J Morphol 2015; 276:E1-16. [DOI: 10.1002/jmor.20410] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2015] [Accepted: 05/11/2015] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Daniel G. Blackburn
- Department of Biology; and Electron Microscopy Center; Trinity College; Hartford Connecticut 06106
| | - J. Matthias Starck
- Department of Biology; University of Munich; D-82152 Planegg-Martinsried Germany
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13
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Siegel DS, Miralles A, Trauth SE, Aldridge RD. The phylogenetic distribution and morphological variation of the ‘pouch’ in female snakes. ACTA ZOOL-STOCKHOLM 2011. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1463-6395.2011.00514.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
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14
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15
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Blackburn D, Stewart J. Viviparity and Placentation in Snakes. REPRODUCTIVE BIOLOGY AND PHYLOGENY OF SNAKES 2011. [DOI: 10.1201/b10879-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
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Siegel DS, Sever DM, Rheubert JL, Gribbins KM. Reproductive Biology of Agkistrodon piscivorus Lacépède (Squamata, Serpentes, Viperidae, Crotalinae). HERPETOLOGICAL MONOGRAPHS 2009. [DOI: 10.1655/08-031.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
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