Reproduction

KRAFT, L. A.; JOHNSON, A. D.

doi: 10.1530/jrf.0.0430201pmid: 1127644

Summary.After unilateral separation of the rat epididymis from the testis, the metabolism of various substrates in vitro by tissue from the attached and separated caput and cauda epididymidis at 7 and 28 days after surgery was determined by radiorespirometry. Hourly collections of 14CO2 were made during 5-hr incubations. The patterns of 14CO2 evolution from glucose indicated that most of the metabolic activity followed the Embden-Meyerhof glycolytic and the Krebs cycle respiration pathways. The alteration of the rate of glycolysis was always greater than that of respiration. In all samples, the metabolism of [2-14C]glucose was approximately equal to that of [6-14C]glucose (G-6) and less than that of [1-14C]glucose (G-1). Pentose cycle activity was indicated in all tissues from the caput and cauda epididymidis by the preferential utilization of G-1 over G-6. At 7 and 28 days after surgery, respectively, the G-1 :G-6 ratios of 14CO2 evolution after incubation for 2 hr were 9·75 and 7·79 for the separated caput, 5·17 and 2·66 for the intact caput, 3·11 and 2·52 for the separated cauda and 3·73 and 2·84 for the attached cauda epididymidis. Although epididymal separation did not affect the metabolism of [U-14C]glucose or [U-14C]fructose, glucose appeared to be a more important epididymal substrate than fructose.

ALLAN, T. M.

doi: 10.1530/jrf.0.0430209pmid: 805237

Summary.In the aggregate of the seventeen published series of the ABO blood groups of newborn babies and their mothers (an aggregate totalling 53,679 mother-baby combinations) there are substantial reciprocal differences by maternal ABO blood group in respect of the ratio of male to female babies. The ratio is relatively low for AB babies of AB mothers plus A babies of A mothers, but is relatively high for non-AB babies of AB mothers plus non-A babies of A mothers. By contrast, the ratio is relatively high for O babies of O mothers plus B babies of B mothers, but (except in the aggregate of seven of the seventeen series, totalling 16,601 cases) is relatively low for non-O babies of O mothers plus non-B babies of B mothers. Disregarding the babies' blood groups, the sex ratio is higher for babies of AB than of non-AB mothers. Disregarding the mothers' blood groups, the sex ratio is lower for A than non-A babies, while in the author's own series, included above, the ratio is lower for A babies possessing than for those not possessing detectable A1 antigen. It is suggested that a possible cause of these differences is sex-differential fetal mortality caused by interaction of the ABO genes, and some of the sex-determining genes, with oestrogen and progesterone.

THAKUR, A. N.; SHETH, A. R.; PURANDARE, T. V.; MUNSHI, S. R.; RAO, SHANTA S.

doi: 10.1530/jrf.0.0430221pmid: 1127645

Summary.The effect of antisera to ovine LH and ovine prolactin was studied on polyamine levels in the mouse placenta. The antisera were administered on Day 11, 12 or 13 of pregnancy and the mice were killed 24 hr later. The polyamines (spermine, spermidine and putrescine) in the placentae were estimated. Polyamine levels were reduced after treatment with anti-LH on any of the 3 days and after treatment with anti-prolactin serum on Days 11 or 12. Only the spermidine content was reduced when anti-prolactin serum was injected on Day 13 of pregnancy. Placental DNA and RNA levels paralleled those observed for polyamine content. The changes in polyamine content and nucleic acid levels indicate that these antisera to LH and prolactin interfere with placental function.

EDWARDS, ELIZABETH M.; JONES, A. R.; WAITES, G. M. H.

doi: 10.1530/jrf.0.0430225pmid: 1127646

Summary.The rate of entry of α-chlorohydrin into rat rete testis fluid has been studied using the 14C- and 36Cl-labelled compound. The α-chlorohydrin crossed the blood-testis barrier and the concentration of radioactivity in rete testis fluid attained blood levels within 45 min. Within 3 hr of a single injection of [14C]α-chlorohydrin, radioactivity was widely distributed in body fluids, and was present in the lipids of the brain, testis, epididymis and epididymal fat pads. No radioactivity was found in tissue lipids following the administration of [36Cl]α-chlorohydrin, which suggests that dechlorination of this compound occurs before its incorporation. Neither a single high dose nor repeated low doses of α-chlorohydrin induced changes in the incorporation of [14C]glycerol into lipids of the brain, testis, epididymis and epididymal fat pad.

RODGER, J. C.; WHITE, I. G.

doi: 10.1530/jrf.0.0430233pmid: 1127647

Summary.Electroejaculation of a variety of Australian marsupials was attempted in this study. The animals used were conscious, sedated, anaesthetized or recently shot. Electroejaculation proved to be a satisfactory means of obtaining seminal plasma but not spermatozoa. The largest volumes of seminal plasma were collected from animals shortly after death. Anaesthetized animals also provided useful volumes of seminal plasma but only insignificant amounts were obtained from conscious and sedated animals.Quantitative analyses of N-acetylglucosamine, glucose and anthronereactive material were made of deproteinized, deionized, water extracts of seminal plasma from electroejaculates obtained from wallabies and kangaroos shortly after death. The major seminal sugar of the three macropod species was N-acetylglucosamine and glucose was also present in quite large concentrations. These observations show that the pattern of sugars in the prostate gland of marsupials is reflected in the semen.

SENIOR, B. E.; FURR, B. J. A.

doi: 10.1530/jrf.0.0430241pmid: 1127648

Summary.Oestradiol was measured by radioimmunoassay in blood draining individual preovulatory follicles and in different ovarian tissues of the hen. The concentration of oestradiol in blood from follicles 20 to 50 hr before ovulation ranged from 66 to 264 pg/ml and was less than that in peripheral blood collected concurrently, suggesting a net uptake rather than secretion of oestradiol by the follicle at these times.In one bird approximately 6 hr before ovulation, the highest content of oestradiol in tissue (35 ng) was in the small (<5 mm) follicles and ovarian stroma; this represented 87·5% of the total ovarian content. Only 0·86 to 1·02 ng oestradiol (2·0 to 2·5%) was found in the large preovulatory follicles and 2·22 ng (5·5%) in the postovulatory follicles. High concentrations of oestradiol (2·4 ng/g) were also found in the liver.These results suggest that the small follicles and/or ovarian stroma are the main site of oestradiol production in the fowl; they do not exclude the possibility that oestradiol is secreted at a high rate by the mature follicle for a short period immediately before ovulation, thus influencing the release of LH.

TAUBER, P. F.; ZANEVELD, L. J. D.; PROPPING, D.; SCHUMACHER, G. F. B.

doi: 10.1530/jrf.0.0430249pmid: 805238

Summary.The concentrations of spermatozoa, fructose, IgG, IgA, albumin, lactoferrin, transferrin, secretory piece of IgA, β1C/β1A-globulin (C′3-component of complement), ceruloplasmin and fibrinogen were evaluated in human split ejaculates and/or in whole human seminal plasma. The concentrations of spermatozoa, IgG, IgA, albumin and transferrin decreased from the first portion of the split ejaculate to the last, indicating that these proteins originate mostly from secretions other than the seminal vesicles. By contrast, the highest amounts of fructose and lactoferrin were present in the final portion of the split ejaculates, showing their seminal vesicle origin. No secretory piece, IgM, β1C/β1A-globulin, ceruloplasmin or fibrinogen could be detected in human semen. An unidentified antigen was found that has a relatively high molecular weight and shows β1-mobility on immunoelectrophoresis.

HARESIGN, W.; FOSTER, J. P.; HAYNES, N. B.; CRIGHTON, D. B.; LAMMING, G. E.

doi: 10.1530/jrf.0.0430269pmid: 1092851

Summary.Plasma progesterone determinations were carried out on blood samples collected daily from Clun Forest ewes during the normal oestrous cycle and also after administration of LH-releasing hormone (LH-RH) during seasonal anoestrus.Levels of plasma progesterone at oestrus ranged from 0·1 to 0·5 ng/ml and luteal phase levels from 3 to 6 ng/ml. Levels found during seasonal anoestrus were within the range of those observed at oestrus. Following treatment with LH-RH, there was an increase in the plasma LH level in all cases and ovulation occurred in twenty-three out of twenty-seven treated ewes. In the animals which ovulated, the plasma progesterone concentration either remained basal (eighteen animals) or rose to a lower level (<2 ng/ml) than that found during the luteal phase of the cycle.

LUBICZ-NAWROCKI, C. M.; CHANG, M. C.

doi: 10.1530/jrf.0.0430281pmid: 1127649

Summary.Fertile male hamsters were injected subcutaneously with AY-22,352 to determine the minimal antifertility dose, the site of action and the onset and duration of infertility. Fertility tests showed that 37 mg AY-22,352/kg/day induced sterility within 4 days. None of the males became infertile within the first 2 days but marked loss of sperm fertilizing ability had occurred by 24 hr from the second injection; all males were sterile after the fourth dose. Comparable daily treatment produced the same antifertility effect subsequent to bilateral ligation of the corpus epididymidis and fertilization did not occur after artificial insemination with spermatozoa from the cauda epididymidis of such animals. The prompt recovery of fertilizing ability of spermatozoa in males which received four daily doses of AY-22,352 (37 mg/kg) and had ligated ductuli efferentes shows that transport of epididymal spermatozoa and their acquisition of fertilizing ability are not influenced by the drug.

UMO, I.

doi: 10.1530/jrf.0.0430287pmid: 1168713

Summary.Early morphological changes in the ultrastructure of CL of ewes treated with prostaglandin F2α were examined in relation to luteal function as judged by plasma progesterone concentration. The luteolytic effect of prostaglandin F2α was confirmed, but there was little synchrony between morphological and functional luteolysis. Significant changes included a decrease in the amount of smooth endoplasmic reticulum, a change in the shape of mitochondria and a decrease in the number of membrane-bound granules. There was also an accumulation of lipids.