Seasonal Variation of the Intraepithelial Gland in Camel Epididymis with Special Reference to Autophagosome

Abstract

The key role of the epididymis is contributing to sperm storage, maturation, and survival. The epididymis of camel has a unique structure called the intraepithelial gland. The present work aimed to investigate the structure of the epididymal intraepithelial gland with special references to the seasonal variation. The samples were collected from the distal part of the corpus epididymes of completely healthy mature camels (Camelus dromedarius) in the breeding and nonbreeding seasons. Tomato lectin-positive material had been demonstrated within the epididymal spermatozoa. Here, we provide the first transmission electron microscopic study for the intraepithelial gland of camel epididymis detecting the autophagy during the nonbreeding season. The autophagosomes originated from the endoplasmic reticulum, surrounding mitochondria, and located mainly next to the basement membrane. This location is probably valuable for subsequent passing of their contents into the interstitium for possible recycling. The histochemical and ultrastructural characteristics of the gland in the breeding season indicated a hyperactive secretory microenvironment enriched with the glycoprotein-producing machinery, which could be controlled by androgens. The present data suggest that the camel intraepithelial gland has a significant impact on the reproductive activity through their secretory microenvironment during the breeding season. Moreover, it recycles the unused organelles or proteins for reuse or to supply energy under stress conditions in the nonbreeding season.

Descriptive Histopathological and Ultrastructural Study of Hepatocellular Alterations Induced by Aflatoxin B1 in Rats

“…Data from experimental groups were statistically analyzed using one-way ANOVA with Tukey's post hoc multiple comparisons tests using the GraphPad Prism software version 5 (San Diego, CA, USA). p < 0.05 was used to define statistically significant differences between the groups [26].…”

Effects of photoperiod on morphology and function in testis and epididymis of Cricetulus barabensis

“…Unlike the observed changes in autophagy in the testes, compared with MD, the number of LC3 puncta and the protein expression of LC3 in the epididymides increased under both SD and LD conditions, indicating that the autophagy levels in the epididymis increased under both SD and LD. Studies have shown that the level of autophagy in the epididymides of camels significantly increases in the winter under SD (Abdel‐Maksoud, Hussein, & Attaai, 2019). The present study found similar results.…”

Structural Investigation of Epididymal Microvasculature and Its Relation to Telocytes and Immune Cells in Camel

“…The animals were sacrificed in Bani Adie slaughterhouse in Assiut province, Egypt, according to the local ethical board guidelines of Egyptian slaughterhouses. The epididymis was carefully dissected from the testis; the specimens were taken from the distal part of corpus epididymis and immediately fixed in 4% paraformaldehyde in 0.1 M phosphate-buffered saline (PBS, pH 7.4) overnight (ON) at 4°C [as discussed in our previous study (Abdel-Maksoud et al, 2019 b )].…”