Immuno‐competent cells in the murine epididymis

Abstract

Cryostat sections of epididymides from mice were stained with monoclonal antibodies against immuno-competent cells. This investigation was undertaken to gain basic data about the distribution of macrophages. T lymphocytes, MHC class II and MIF in the normal murine epididymis to establish the mouse as a model for immunological epididymal research. The most important findings were as follows. (1) Macrophages, T lymphocytes, MHC class II and MIF positive cells were distributed similarly in the caput, corpus and cauda epididymis. (2) Macrophages were the most frequent leucocytes and the majority were located in the peritubular layer. (3) The MHC class II determinant was also expressed mostly in the peritubular layer and interstitium. These cells were similar in appearance and location to macrophages. (4) Significantly fewer T lymphocytes were found and their main location was the interstitium. T-helper and T-suppressor/cytotoxic lymphocytes did not differ significantly in their regional or histological distribution patterns. (5) The ratio of T-helper to T-suppressor/cytotoxic lymphocytes was 1:1. (6) MIF was detected almost exclusively in blood vessels and the surrounding connective tissue. (7) No invasion of leucocytes into the epididymal lumen was observed. It is concluded that macrophages seem to be the most important immunological cell type in the murine epididymis.

Ultrastructure of epididymal interstitial reactions following vasectomy and vasovasostomy

“…In the human epididymis, immunocytochemical studies using antibodies to various leukocyte markers revealed T helperhnducer lymphocytes in the interstitium, whereas the majority of lymphocytes in the epithelium were the suppressor/cytotoxic variety and were thought to form part of a n immunological barrier by preventing the development of an immune response to autoantigens on luminal spermatozoa (El-Demiry et al, 1985;Ritchie et al, 1984). In contrast, macrophages were the main immunologic cell type detected in the normal mouse epididymidis (Nashan et al, 1989). Furthermore, immunocytochemical studies in mice showed that vasectomy resulted in a n immunologic response in which macrophages and MHC class I1…”

Distribution of leukocytes in the epithelium and interstitium of four regions of the Lewis rat epididymis

“…The human epididymal epithelium was reported to contain suppressor/cytotoxic lymphocytes (CD81), whereas helper/inducer lymphocytes (CD41) were detected in the interstitium; it was suggested that these cells functioned as part of an immunological barrier in the epididymis (Ritchie et al, 1984;El-Demiry et al, 1985), although other authors have questioned whether these lymphocyte subtypes are strictly compartmentalized (Pudney and Anderson, 1993). On the other hand, macrophages were the predominant cell type detected immunocytochemically in the normal mouse epididymis (Nashan et al, 1989). CD4-positive helper/inducer lymphocytes and macrophages were reported to be more numerous than CD8-positive suppressor/cytotoxic lymphocytes in the epididymis of the Wistar rat (Hooper et al, 1995).…”

Effects of Lipopolysaccharide on the Recruitment of T Cells in the Seminal Tract of Roosters

“…T cell subsets have been localized in the male reproductive tract of humans (Yeung et al, 1994), rat, rhesus monkey (Dyme and Romrell, 1975;Flickinger et al, 1997) and mouse (Nashan et al, 1989). Also, we have localized T cell subsets in the rooster testis and seminal tract (Yoshimura et al, , 2005.…”