Histochemistry of Human Urethral Glands

Sirigu, P.; Turno, F.; Perra, Maria Teresa; Usaï, E; Hafez, E. S. E.

doi:10.3109/01485019108987625

Cited by 3 publications

(6 citation statements)

References 13 publications

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“…Although the functional importance of seminal MG1 in reproductive physiology is completely unknown, it could be hypothesized that, like other mucins (Lagow et al 1999), it influences the sperm transport in the male and female genital tracts. The secretions of bulbourethral glands, although never analysed separately, are believed to consist of a mixture of acidic mucins, as deduced by studies with conventional histochemistry (Riva et al 1981;Sirigu et al 1991). Previous immunohistochemical studies (Cossu et al 1994) demonstrated the blood group reactive substances ABH, Le-a, and Le-b in the mucous granules of both urethral and bulbourethral glands in conformity with the blood group type and secretor status, and hypothesized that such saccharide groups were associated with mucins.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Immunocytochemical localization of MG1 mucin in human bulbourethral glands

et al. 2008

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Salivary mucins MG1 and MG2 have been found in the oral cavity where they perform several functions such as the formation of the mucous layer covering the oral mucosa and teeth. Recent studies have demonstrated their presence in other organs and tissues. The aim of this study was to determine their expression in human bulbourethral (Cowper's) glands. Normal bulbourethral glands were obtained at surgery and fixed in a mixture of 1% paraformaldehyde-1.25% glutaraldehyde in 0.1 M cacodylate buffer and embedded in Epon resin. Thin sections were labeled with rabbit antibodies to MG1 or to an N-terminal synthetic peptide of MG2, followed by gold-labeled goat anti-rabbit IgG. The granules of all mucous cells were intensely reactive with anti-MG1, whereas no labeling was detected for MG2. These results indicate that MG1 is not exclusively a salivary component and furthermore show that bulbourethral glands represent a significant source of the MG1 detected in human seminal plasma.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Immunocytochemical localization of MG1 mucin in human bulbourethral glands

et al. 2008

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“…Together with the prostate and the urethral (Littre's) glands, Cowper's glands originate from the endoderm of the urogenital sinus (Spring-Mills & Hafez, 1980). The prostate and the urethral glands are androgen dependent organs (Sirigu et al, , 1991. Coffey (1988) asserts that the bulbourethral glands, too, are androgen dependent organs, even if no data showed that these glands behave as typical androgen target structures.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The histological demonstration of 3P-HSD and 17fi-HSD activities does not denote the occurrence of androgen activation, for the reason that these enzymes are involved not only in the reductive, but also in the oxidative process, which leads to the formation of inactive steroids. They have been in fact detected in both androgen target and non target tissues (Sirigu et al, , 1982(Sirigu et al, , 1983(Sirigu et al, , 1991. The 3u-HSD only takes part in the activating mechanism in target organs, since it requires 5u-reduced steroids as optimal substrates.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The 3u-HSD only takes part in the activating mechanism in target organs, since it requires 5u-reduced steroids as optimal substrates. The presence of 3fi-HSD, 17P-HSD and 3u-HSD chiefly, could mean that the human Cowper's glands normally are site of significant androgen activation like other androgen dependent organs such as other human male accessory sex glands (Sirigu et al, , 1991.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Histochemical study of the human bulbourethral (Cowper's) glands

et al. 2009

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Human bulbourethral glands were reacted histochemically and immunohistochemically to identify glycoproteins, some androgen metabolic enzymes, and VIP-like immunoreactivity. Neutral/acid mucosubstances were detected in the cytoplasm of the tubuloalveolar and ductal cells. 3p-, 17p-, and 3a-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase, GGPD, and 6PGD reactivity were intense in all the glandular epithelium. Small amounts of VIP-positive fibres were observed around the secretory elements.

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“…Their principal cells share many morphological features with typical mucin secreting elements, except for some peculiar aspects of their secretory granules [15]. What we know about their secretion dates back to a few histochemical studies documenting the presence of acidic glycoproteins [16] bearing AB0 and Lewis oligosaccharides [17]. Demonstration of oxytocin reactivity suggests that urethral glands do not provide only mucus components.…”

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Oxytocin Immunoreactivity in the Human Urethral (Littre's) Glands

Isola

Cossu

Lisa

et al. 2010

Journal of Reproduction and Development

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Abstract. Oxytocin is a cyclic nonapeptide whose best known effects are stimulation of uterine smooth muscle cells during labor and of milk ejection during lactation. Circulating oxytocin originates from the hypothalamus, but its production has also been documented in peripheral tissues. Furthermore, seminal plasma also contains oxytocin, but its functional role is still unknown, although its secretion is generally ascribed to the prostate. In this study, we investigated the possibility that seminal oxytocin is also secreted by other exocrine glands of the human male genital tract. Intramural (Littrè's) glands isolated from bioptic specimens of normal urethrae were processed for immunogold localization of oxytocin. Immunostaining was detected in principal cells, with gold particles specifically found on secretory granules. Basal and endocrine cells were unstained. The present findings suggest that urethral glands not only produce the mucinous layer that protects and lubricates the urethral wall, but also are potential sources of other seminal components, such as oxytocin, which probably play still unclear roles in reproductive physiology. Key words: Immunogold, Oxytocin, Urethral glands (J. Reprod. Dev. 56: [94][95][96][97] 2010) xytocin is a nonapeptide in which a disulfide bond between cysteine residues confers a cyclic structure. Its action is mediated by a transmembrane polypeptide receptor coupled with a G protein pathway, widely distributed throughout the human body [1,2]. Oxytocin is mainly studied as a hypothalamic hormone as well as vasopressin, from which it differs in two amino acids only. The best known biological effects of circulating oxytocin are those on female reproductive organs, such as stimulation of uterine contractions and of milk ejection. Moreover, effects on organs of the male genital tract have also been documented, such as penile erection and ejaculation [3,4]. In addition, a number of functions are thought to be regulated by local oxytocinergic systems, since oxytocin production has been documented in peripheral tissues [5]. In the male genital tract, paracrine secretion of oxytocin has been suggested in the testis, epididymis and prostate [1,6,7], where many functions such as cell growth, spermiation, steroidogenesis and muscle contraction could be affected [7][8][9][10]. Furthermore, seminal plasma also contains oxytocin, whose functional role still is uncertain [11][12][13]. This peptide is believed to originate from the prostate [1], but it could be also supplied by other sexual glands, which to date have not been examined in this regard. In this study, we show that the intramural glands of the human urethra (Littrè's glands) contain oxytocin-reactive material, suggesting the presence of the peptide in their exocrine secretions. Materials and MethodsSamples of the distal urethra were obtained from 4 patients aged 54-67 undergoing surgery for radical cystectomy at the Urologic Clinic of the University of Cagliari. The procedures were approved by the Local Ethics Committee, Unive...

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Histochemistry of Human Urethral Glands

Cited by 3 publications

References 13 publications

Immunocytochemical localization of MG1 mucin in human bulbourethral glands

Immunocytochemical localization of MG1 mucin in human bulbourethral glands

Histochemical study of the human bulbourethral (Cowper's) glands

Oxytocin Immunoreactivity in the Human Urethral (Littre's) Glands

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