The urethral glands of male mice in relation to depletion of secretory granules upon mating

Parr, Margaret B.; França, Luiz R.; Kepple, Larry; Ying, Lu; Parr, Earl L.; Russell, Lonnie D.

doi:10.1530/jrf.0.1010675

Cited by 4 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 12 publications

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“…In pigs, although the presence of secretory vacuoles in glandular epithelium was not reported, two types of secretory granules were recognized based on the electron density and organization of their composed materials (Badia et al., ). The presence of high content of membrane‐bound secretory granules in the glandular epithelium of the Cowper's gland in the greater cane rat is similar to that of other rodents and man (Parr et al., ; Testa‐Riva et al., ). Secretory granules of the glandular epithelium in the mice Cowper's gland are also either uniformly electron dense or showed regions of less density which can be attributable to the heterogeneity of the granular compositions (Fawcett, ; Badia et al., ).…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 57%

“…Similarly the strong positive correlations observed between the weights of the bulbourethral glands and that of coagulating, prostate and vesicular glands might be related to their combined roles in the formation of semen and copulatory plug. In rodents, it has been established that complex biochemical interactions exist among the secretions of coagulating, vesicular and Cowper's glands (with more between the coagulating and Cowper's gland) resulting in semen coagulation at the time of mating (Beil and Hart, ; Parr et al., ).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Gross, Histological and Ultrastructural Features of the Bulbourethral Gland in the Greater Cane Rat (Thryonomys swinderianus)

Adebayo

Akinloye

Olukole

et al. 2014

Anat. Histol. Embryol.

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The present study examines the structure and ultrastructure of the bulbourethral glands in 10 sexually matured male greater cane rats raised in captivity. Following anaesthesia, the rats were perfusion-fixed transcardially and the bulbourethral glands dissected out. Upon morphologic and morphometric analysis, the Cowper's glands were observed to have an average volume of 0.24±0.08 ml, a diameter of 6.3±0.6 mm and weighs 0.199±0.06 g. The paired, gourd-shaped tubuloalveolar glands were surrounded by dense connective tissues and separated into lobules by capsular septae. Each lobule consists of endpiece/secretory units and excretory ducts lined by simple glandular epithelium and pseudo-stratified epithelium, respectively. The round end pieces consisted of 8-10 pyramidal to columnar epithelial cells with flattened, basally located nuclei and granule-filled cytoplasm that bounded a narrow glandular lumen. The striking ultrastructural features of these secretory cells were the presence of some granules with uniform electron density and those with regions of lesser density as well as the absence of secretory vacuoles. Another unique characteristic of these secretory granules is the presence of electron dense strands radiating from their surfaces. The apical surfaces of the cells were also studded with abundant microvilli. From the findings, the structure of bulbourethral glands in the greater cane rat shows more resemblances to that of humans than to its rodent phylogeny. These findings serve as additional knowledge in the structural interpretation of the bulbourethral gland and its secretory products.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 57%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Gross, Histological and Ultrastructural Features of the Bulbourethral Gland in the Greater Cane Rat (Thryonomys swinderianus)

Adebayo

Akinloye

Olukole

et al. 2014

Anat. Histol. Embryol.

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“…The urethral glands are lined by cuboidal epithelium and empty into the lumen of the membranous urethra. Studies in the literature suggest that the urethral glands in male mice are testosterone-dependent and may play a role in localized secretory immunity (Parr et al , 1992, 1994). In male rats and mice, the glands contribute to the formation of semen and the copulation plug.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Urethral Carcinoma and Hyperplasia in Male and Female B6C3F1 Mice Treated With 3,3′,4,4′-Tetrachloroazobenzene (TCAB)

et al. 2010

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B6C3F1 mice chronically exposed to 3,3 0 ,4,4 0 -tetrachloroazobenzene (TCAB), a contaminant of dichloroaniline-derived herbicides, developed a number of neoplastic and nonneoplastic lesions, including carcinoma of the urinary tract. Groups of fifty male and fifty female B6C3F1 mice were exposed by gavage to TCAB at dose levels of 0, 3, 10, and 30 mg/kg five days a week for two years. Control animals received corn oil:acetone (99:1) vehicle. Decreased survival of male mice in the mid-dose group and of male and female mice in the high-dose groups was related mainly to the occurrence of urethral transitional cell (urothelial) carcinoma and resulting urinary obstruction. Increased urethral transitional cell carcinomas were seen in all treated male groups in a dose-related manner as well as in the females treated with 30 mg/kg TCAB. Administration of TCAB was also associated with increased transitional cell hyperplasia of the urethra. Most nonneoplastic lesions of the urogenital tract were considered secondary to local invasion and urinary obstruction by the urethral transitional cell carcinomas. The mechanism of tumor induction is uncertain, but the high frequency of tumors in the proximal urethra of male mice suggests that the neoplasms result from the exposure of a susceptible population of urothelial cells to a carcinogenic metabolite of TCAB.

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“…In rodents, the protein and fructose-rich secretions of this gland play a major role in semen coagulation and sperm motility thereby enhancing fertilisation efficacy in these species [4,10]. These secretions also, through complex biochemical interactions with secretions from vesicular and bulbourethral glands, form copulatory plugs that prevent semen backflow from the female reproductive tract after coitus [8,23].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The coagulating gland in the male greater cane rat (Thryonomys swinderianus): morphological and immunohistochemical features

et al. 2015

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The urethral glands of male mice in relation to depletion of secretory granules upon mating

Abstract: The present study describes

Cited by 4 publications

References 12 publications

Gross, Histological and Ultrastructural Features of the Bulbourethral Gland in the Greater Cane Rat (Thryonomys swinderianus)

Gross, Histological and Ultrastructural Features of the Bulbourethral Gland in the Greater Cane Rat (Thryonomys swinderianus)

Urethral Carcinoma and Hyperplasia in Male and Female B6C3F1 Mice Treated With 3,3′,4,4′-Tetrachloroazobenzene (TCAB)

The coagulating gland in the male greater cane rat (Thryonomys swinderianus): morphological and immunohistochemical features

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