The Epithelial Lining of the Bovine Ejaculatory Duct

Abstract

The bovine ejaculatory duct is lined by a pseudostratified columnar epithelium. Two cell types are present: small basal cells and columnar principal cells in different functional states. The basal cells are able to accumulate lipid material. The principal cells are observed in a less active state and in a state of either increased endocytosis and fluid uptake or active spermiophagy. Endocytotically active cells are characterized by an apical brush border and a system of micro vesicles, multivesicular bodies and lysosomal dense bodies. Cells involved in phagocytosis of spermatozoa are mostly provided with a smooth apical border, an expanded Golgi apparatus, many phagocytic vacuoles and condensing phagolysosomes.

Influence of Macrophages on the Rooster Spermatozoa Quality

“…) and mammals (Goyal ; Murakami et al. ; Abou‐Elmagd and Wrobel ). In mammals, spermiophagy takes place in various portions of the male reproductive tract, such as the seminiferous tubules (Holstein ), ampulla of the vas deferens (Murakami et al.…”

“…), seminal vesicle (Murakami et al. ) and ejaculatory duct (Abou‐Elmagd and Wrobel ). Spermiophagy by macrophages has been described in the male extragonadal ductal system (Holstein ) and in semen (Smith et al.…”

“…Histological analysis of the male reproductive tract suggests that macrophages primarily originate from the testicular interstitium and epididymis (Wang and Holstein 1983;Pelliccione et al 2008). Spermiophagy has been reported to occur widely in various groups of vertebrates, for example amphibians (Sever 1992), teleosts (Porawski et al 2004), reptiles (Akbarsha et al 2007) and mammals (Goyal 1982;Murakami et al 1985;Abou-Elmagd and Wrobel 1990). In mammals, spermiophagy takes place in various portions of the male reproductive tract, such as the seminiferous tubules (Holstein 1978), ampulla of the vas deferens (Murakami et al 1985), seminal vesicle (Murakami et al 1978) and ejaculatory duct (Abou-Elmagd and Wrobel 1990).…”

“…Spermiophagy has been reported to occur widely in various groups of vertebrates, for example amphibians (Sever 1992), teleosts (Porawski et al 2004), reptiles (Akbarsha et al 2007) and mammals (Goyal 1982;Murakami et al 1985;Abou-Elmagd and Wrobel 1990). In mammals, spermiophagy takes place in various portions of the male reproductive tract, such as the seminiferous tubules (Holstein 1978), ampulla of the vas deferens (Murakami et al 1985), seminal vesicle (Murakami et al 1978) and ejaculatory duct (Abou-Elmagd and Wrobel 1990). Spermiophagy by macrophages has been described in the male extragonadal ductal system (Holstein 1978) and in semen (Smith et al 1989).…”

Spermiophagy in the Male Reproductive Tract of Some Passerine Birds

“…Spermiophagy (or spermatophagy) denotes the phagocytosis of spermatozoa and their fragments by somatic cells (Holstein, 1978). This activity has been reported to occur widely in various groups of vertebrates, e.g., teleosts (Porawski et al, 2004), amphibians (Sever, 1992), reptiles (Akbarsha et al, 2007), birds (Tingari and Lake, 1972;Nakai et al, 1989;Aire, 2000), and mammals (Murakami et al, 1979;1985;Goyal, 1982;Abou-Elmagd and Wrobel, 1990). In mammals, spermiophagy takes place in various portions of the male reproductive tract, such as the seminiferous tubules (Holstein, 1978), rete testis, efferent duct (Holstein, 1978;Goyal, 1982), ampulla of the vas deferens (Murakami et al, 1985), seminal vesicle (Murakami et al, 1978), and ejaculatory duct (Abou-Elmagd and Wrobel, 1990).…”