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Steroids in Fluids and Sperm Entering and Leaving the Bovine Epididymis, Epididymal Tissue, and Accessory Sex Gland Secretions

Steroids in Fluids and Sperm Entering and Leaving the Bovine Epididymis, Epididymal Tissue, and... Ten steroids which may have a role in the process of sperm maturation within the epididymis were quantified by competitive protein binding or radioimmunoassay. Rete testis fluid (RTF) carrying testicular sperm into the epididymis was rich in dehydroepiandrosterone and testosterone (21 ± 2 and 33 ± 3 ng/ml) while cauda epididymal plasma (CEP) around sperm which have completed maturation had high levels of progesterone, dihydrotestosterone, 3β-androstanediol, dehydroepiandrosterone and testosterone (7.4 ± 0.8, 20.3 ± 1.1, 6.5 ± 0.4, 8.0 ±0.7 and 11.5 ± 0.7 ng/ml). About 4 μg of steroids enter the epididymis daily in RTF, but <1% was found in CEP; the balance presumably was absorbed by the epithelium in the proximal caput epididymidis. Nevertheless, tissue levels of total 17β-OH androgens were lower in the proximal caput than in the distal caput or corpus epididymidis. In all zones of the epididymis, dihydrotestosterone accounted for about 70% of the total 17β-OH androgens found in the nuclear fraction. In the cytoplasmic fraction, however, dihydrotestosterone predominated only in the distal caput and corpus epididymidis. In the cauda epididymidis, CEP and sperm probably accounted for <35% of the total 17β3-OH androgens and <25% of the dihydrotestosterone. The progesterone concentration of the cytoplasmic fraction was higher in the corpus and cauda than in the caput epididymidis. Twice washed testicular sperm contained more testosterone than cauda epididymal or ejaculated sperm (16.6 ± 1.9, 1.6 ± 0.2 and 1.5 ± 0.3 ng/109 sperm, recpectively), but less progesterone (0.5 ± 0.1, 1.3 ± 0.2 and 1.0 ± 0.4 ng/109 sperm, respectively). As a consequence of mixture with estrogen-rich prostatic fluid (150 ± 9 pg/ml), ejaculated sperm contained a relatively high amount of estrogens (112 ± 15 pg/109 sperm). These studies revealed marked differences in steroid profiles of fluids entering and leaving the epididymis and of infertile testicular and fertile cauda epididymal sperm This content is only available as a PDF. Author notes 1 Approved for publication on 12-3-75 as Paper No. 4983 in the Journal Series of the Pennsylvania Agricultural Experiment Station. Research on which this publication is based was conducted pursuant to Contract NO1-HD-2137. Copyright © 1976 by The Endocrine Society http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png Endocrinology Oxford University Press

Steroids in Fluids and Sperm Entering and Leaving the Bovine Epididymis, Epididymal Tissue, and Accessory Sex Gland Secretions

GANJAM, VENKATASESHU, K.; AMANN, RUPERT, P.
Endocrinology , Volume 99 (6) – Dec 1, 1976
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Publisher
Oxford University Press
Copyright
Copyright © 1976 by The Endocrine Society
ISSN
0013-7227
eISSN
1945-7170
DOI
10.1210/endo-99-6-1618
Publisher site
See Article on Publisher Site

Abstract

Ten steroids which may have a role in the process of sperm maturation within the epididymis were quantified by competitive protein binding or radioimmunoassay. Rete testis fluid (RTF) carrying testicular sperm into the epididymis was rich in dehydroepiandrosterone and testosterone (21 ± 2 and 33 ± 3 ng/ml) while cauda epididymal plasma (CEP) around sperm which have completed maturation had high levels of progesterone, dihydrotestosterone, 3β-androstanediol, dehydroepiandrosterone and testosterone (7.4 ± 0.8, 20.3 ± 1.1, 6.5 ± 0.4, 8.0 ±0.7 and 11.5 ± 0.7 ng/ml). About 4 μg of steroids enter the epididymis daily in RTF, but <1% was found in CEP; the balance presumably was absorbed by the epithelium in the proximal caput epididymidis. Nevertheless, tissue levels of total 17β-OH androgens were lower in the proximal caput than in the distal caput or corpus epididymidis. In all zones of the epididymis, dihydrotestosterone accounted for about 70% of the total 17β-OH androgens found in the nuclear fraction. In the cytoplasmic fraction, however, dihydrotestosterone predominated only in the distal caput and corpus epididymidis. In the cauda epididymidis, CEP and sperm probably accounted for <35% of the total 17β3-OH androgens and <25% of the dihydrotestosterone. The progesterone concentration of the cytoplasmic fraction was higher in the corpus and cauda than in the caput epididymidis. Twice washed testicular sperm contained more testosterone than cauda epididymal or ejaculated sperm (16.6 ± 1.9, 1.6 ± 0.2 and 1.5 ± 0.3 ng/109 sperm, recpectively), but less progesterone (0.5 ± 0.1, 1.3 ± 0.2 and 1.0 ± 0.4 ng/109 sperm, respectively). As a consequence of mixture with estrogen-rich prostatic fluid (150 ± 9 pg/ml), ejaculated sperm contained a relatively high amount of estrogens (112 ± 15 pg/109 sperm). These studies revealed marked differences in steroid profiles of fluids entering and leaving the epididymis and of infertile testicular and fertile cauda epididymal sperm This content is only available as a PDF. Author notes 1 Approved for publication on 12-3-75 as Paper No. 4983 in the Journal Series of the Pennsylvania Agricultural Experiment Station. Research on which this publication is based was conducted pursuant to Contract NO1-HD-2137. Copyright © 1976 by The Endocrine Society

Journal

Endocrinology – Oxford University Press

Published: Dec 1, 1976

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