Immunohistochemical Studies of αSMA in the Epididymis of African Four-Toed Hedgehog (Atelerix albiventris)

Abstract

The epididymis plays an important role in sperm maturation, storage, transport and in the secretion of enzymes and proteins into the tubular lumen. In this study, we examined the histology, microstereology and immunohistochemical localization of alpha smooth muscle (αSMA) in the three regions of the epididymis of the African four-toed hedgehog (Atelerix albiventris). Ten adult males were captured from the wild in Ibadan, Nigeria, between May and October, 2016. The animals were euthanized and the epididymis (caput, corpus and cauda regions) were retrieved and fixed in buffered neutral formalin ahead of the paraffin technique, following standard procedures. The duct of the epididymis was lined by pseudostratified columnar epithelium comprising basal, principal and apical cells as well as intraepithelial lymphocytes in proximity to basal cells. The principal cells, the major cells encountered within the epididymal epithelium of the animal, decreased in population from the caput to the cauda epididymidis while the apical cells were more abundant in the cauda epididymidis. Positive reactions to αSMA were observed in the peritubular muscular coat of the epididymal duct as well as blood vessels across the three regions of the epididymis with the caput and cauda epididymidis showing stronger positive reactions compared to the corpus epididymidis. This study demonstrated that the histology, microstereology as well as the cellular constituents of the epididymal duct of the Atelerix albiventris are similar to those of other mammals with a slight variation. It has also highlighted variation in the localization of αSMA across the regions of the epididymis of the animal.

Immunolocalization of Desmin, Vimentin and S-100 proteins in testis and epididymis of African striped ground squirrel (Xerus erythropus)

“…The spatial distribution of S-100 protein in the testis in the African striped ground squirrel from the present study is comparable to that of other mammals. The immunoreaction in the vascular endothelium is same as in the pine vole, rabbit and African four-toed hedgehog by Czykier et al (2000), Abd-Elmaksoud et al (2014) and Olukole et al (2020), respectively. However, while the immunoreaction of S-100 in the Leydig cells in the African striped ground squirrel in the present study was also reported in other rodents such as the Wistar rat, bank vole (and mouse) and African four-toed hedgehog by Amselgruber et al (1994), Czykier et al (2000) and Olukole et al (2020), respectively, it was unreactive in the Leydig cells of lagomorphs such as the rabbit (Abd-Elmaksoud et al (2014).…”

“…The immunoreaction in the vascular endothelium is same as in the pine vole, rabbit and African four-toed hedgehog by Czykier et al (2000), Abd-Elmaksoud et al (2014) and Olukole et al (2020), respectively. However, while the immunoreaction of S-100 in the Leydig cells in the African striped ground squirrel in the present study was also reported in other rodents such as the Wistar rat, bank vole (and mouse) and African four-toed hedgehog by Amselgruber et al (1994), Czykier et al (2000) and Olukole et al (2020), respectively, it was unreactive in the Leydig cells of lagomorphs such as the rabbit (Abd-Elmaksoud et al (2014). This presence of S-100 in vasculature of blood vessels have been attributed to the protective role of the protein against mitochondrial dysfunction and cell death due to intracellular calcium overload (Orrenius et al, 2003).…”

“…Amselgruber et al (1994) also reported negative immunoreaction of S-100 in Sertoli cells of Wistar rats and proffered that immunoreactivity in the Sertoli cells may be dependent upon cyclic variations of the seminiferous epithelium. Conversely, Olukole et al (2020) observed moderate immunoreaction of S-100 in Sertoli cells of African four-toed hedgehogs, while Omirinde et al (2023) reported major expression in the Sertoli cell of cane rats (African giant pouched rats). Result of the present study indicated negative immunoreaction of S-100 in the epididymal smooth muscle cells, epithelial basal and apical cells and inter-ductal connective tissue.…”

“…It regulates cell division and cell morphology in a calcium-dependent manner (Abd-Elmaksoud et al, 2014). It has been suggested to be involved in the processes of spermatogenesis and steroidogenesis in the African four-toed hedgehog (Olukole et al, 2020). It has also been demonstrated in the testis of other rodents like the pine vole and mouse (Czykier et al (2000).…”