The movement of fluid in the seminiferous tubules and rete testis

Setchell, B. P.; Davies, Rachael; Gladwell, R. T.; Hinton, Barry T.; Main, S. J.; Pilsworth, L M C; Waites, G. M. H.

doi:10.1051/rnd:19780336

Cited by 43 publications

(20 citation statements)

References 23 publications

(15 reference statements)

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“…A similar change takes place in the seminiferous ductules in vivo (Setchell, Davies, Gladwell, Hinton, Main, Pilsworth & Waites, 1978). Thus this might be a general property of the proximal male excurrent duct and it also suggests that our findings in vitro may have a counterpart in vivo.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 52%

Movements of the luminal contents in two different regions of the caput epididymidis of the rat in vitro.

Jaakkola¹,

Talo²

1983

The Journal of Physiology

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SUMMARY1. Transport of the epididymal contents was studied in vitro by filming, for 1-2 5 h, the movements of tiny, stained oil droplets injected through a micropipette into two regions of the lumen of the caput epididymidis: the most proximal part, with the widest outer diameter (region I), and the neighboring, narrowest portion (region II).2. The movements of the oil droplets were pendular. Displacement, caused by a contraction of the wall spreading in either direction, was followed by a shorter, usually passive reflux leading to a small net displacement, Al.3. The distance of transport during 5 min periods varied between 009 and 16B79 mm (median 1-0 mm) in region I and 0 05 and 3-62 mm (median 0-42 mm) in region II. Transport divided into periods when little or no net transport took place (slow transport) and periods when the transport was effective (fast transport). Although the periods of fast transport were infrequent, their significance in transport towards the ductus deferens was high. 4. During 5 min sampling periods of fast transport, the pendular movements were longer in both regions: Al was longer in region I and the probability of Al being in the direction of transport was higher than during slow transport in both regions.5. The mean probability of Al being in the direction of the ductus deferens was 0-63 in region I and 0 57 in region II. 6. Higher frequency ofpendular movements, longer Al values and higher probability of Al being towards the ductus deferens in region I than II suggest that the transport speed is higher in region I than II.7. Transport consisting of short steps occurring with variable probabilities in both directions is a stochastic process.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 52%

Movements of the luminal contents in two different regions of the caput epididymidis of the rat in vitro.

Jaakkola¹,

Talo²

1983

The Journal of Physiology

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“…However, when differences in the concentration of Na and K were compared in STF (free-flow micropuncture samples) and in RTF (collected by cannulation), it was estimated that only 20%-30% of the latter would originate from the seminiferous tubules [5,7]. Also, Setchell et al [14] showed that direct counts of sperm concentrations (as opposed to spermatocrit determinations) and inositol concentrations were similar in rat STF and RTF. Consequently, the two-fluid theory was rejected, and it was interpreted that testicular fluid is derived from secretions of the seminiferous tubules but that the fluid must be modified substantially by considerable solute secretion and reabsorption in the rete testis [3,5].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 98%

Composition of Luminal Fluid Secreted by the Seminiferous Tubules and After Reabsorption by the Extratesticular Ducts of the Japanese Quail, Coturnix coturnix japonica1

Clulow¹,

Jones²

2004

Biology of Reproduction

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The present report examines the composition of luminal fluid in the seminiferous tubule (STF), rete testis (RTF), and ductus epididymidis of the Japanese quail (Coturnix coturnix japonica). This subject is of particular interest, both because the reproductive ducts are intra-abdominal and because sperm production is more rapid in birds than in mammals. It was interpreted that micropuncture samples of STF contain varying amounts of contamination with intracellular solute, particularly K and protein. The concentration of solute in samples was correlated with packed cell volume (spermatocrit), and when the latter was used to assess estimates of solute concentration in STF, the magnitude of the estimates were much the same as determinations in RTF. Consequently, it is concluded that the fluid entering the rete testis of the quail is the primary secretion of the seminiferous tubules. The composition of RTF in the quail was determined to be 148 mM Na, 126 mM Cl, 9.8 mM K, 2.7 mM Mg, 1.4 mM Ca, 2.1 mM glutamate, 3.4 mM glutamine, 20.2 mM bicarbonate, 1.8 microg microl(-1) of protein, pH 7.34, and 310 mmol kg(-1), and it is significantly different from the composition of blood plasma. Estimates of solute output by the testis and reabsorption by the extratesticular ducts indicate, first, that most of the solutes secreted into the seminiferous tubules are subsequently reabsorbed from the extratesticular ducts and, second, that sufficient solute of testicular origin (except for protein) exists to account for the concentrations of solutes throughout the lumen of the duct system. Changes in the concentration of solute in the extratesticular ducts probably result from different reabsorption rates of solute and water. The composition of fluid from the distal end of the ductus epididymidis was 133 mM Na, 125 mM Cl, 25 mM K, 1.0 mM Mg, 0.3 mM Ca, 6.7 mM glutamate, 4.0 mM glutamine, 19.5 mM bicarbonate, 6.0 microg microl(-1) of protein, pH 7.33, and 335 mmol kg(-1), and it is significantly different from those of RTF and blood.

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“…The former possibility is unlikely because micropuncture studies revealed similar concentrations of sperm and inosi tol in both fluids [Hinton et al. 1977: Setchell et al. 1978.…”

Section: Structural and Functional Relationships Of Epithelial Cellsmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Rete Testis of the Goat, a Morphological Study

Goyal

Williams²

1987

Cells Tissues Organs

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The rete testis of the goat can be divided into three parts, septal, mediastinal and extratesticular. The septal rete is short, relatively straight and connects the terminal part of the seminiferous tubules with the mediastinal rete. The mediastinal rete is a labyrinth of intercommunicating channels that occupies about two-thirds of the central axis of the testis. The extratesticular rete is located outside the testis at its extremitas capitata and forms sac-like dilations up to 2 mm in diameter. The rete testis, regardless of its location, is lined by simple cuboidal to simple squamous epithelium that invariably contains a few intra-epithelial lymphocytes and macrophages.The epithelial cells possess few microvilli and a centrally located flagellum at the luminal border. With the exception of a few small vesicles in the apical cytoplasm, morphological features associated with absorption such as coated vesicles, canaliculi, vacuoles and multivesicular bodies are absent. However, basolateral interdigitations between adjacent cells, another feature of absorptive epithelium, are frequently noticed. Most cytoplasmic organelles except mitochondria and free ribosomes are poorly developed, suggesting that caprine rete epithelial cells are not associated with protein/glycoprotein secretion. There is no evidence of sperm phagocytosis by the rete epithelium, but luminal macrophages containing sperm fragments are occasionally encountered.The structural-functional relationships of the rete epithelial cells are discussed.

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The movement of fluid in the seminiferous tubules and rete testis

Cited by 43 publications

References 23 publications

Movements of the luminal contents in two different regions of the caput epididymidis of the rat in vitro.

Movements of the luminal contents in two different regions of the caput epididymidis of the rat in vitro.

Composition of Luminal Fluid Secreted by the Seminiferous Tubules and After Reabsorption by the Extratesticular Ducts of the Japanese Quail, Coturnix coturnix japonica1

The Rete Testis of the Goat, a Morphological Study

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