Ultrastructural changes in the efferent duct and epididymis of men with obstructive infertility

Rajalakshmi, M.; Kumar, B. T. Sampath; Kapur, M. M.; Pal, P. C.

doi:10.1002/ar.1092370207

Cited by 14 publications

(14 citation statements)

References 11 publications

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“…These results suggest that the site of the obstruction has an impact on the level of alteration of the blood-epididymis barrier in OA patients. Rajalakshmi et al [39] have previously reported the occurrence of degenerative changes in the epididymis of OA patients and observed that these were less pronounced when the site of the obstruction was situated more distally in the epididymis. In addition, our immunolocalization of CDH1, TJP1, and VIM revealed some differences between OA and fertile patients.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 97%

“…VIM was also expressed by a small subset of epithelial cells in the epididymis of OA patients, suggesting that a small percentage of epithelial cells could be less differentiated in these tissues and may represent the origin of the cell lines developed in this study. Previous studies have shown that obstruction in the caput epididymidis can lead to extensive degenerative ultrastructural changes in the principal cells of the caput epididymidis due to abnormal fluid reabsorption [39], leucocytic infiltration [45], and high levels of antisperm antibodies [14]. Obstruction as a consequence of vasectomy has also been shown to affect the osmolarity and composition of epididymal intraluminal fluid [46].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Alterations in the Human Blood-Epididymis Barrier in Obstructive Azoospermia and the Development of Novel Epididymal Cell Lines from Infertile Men1

Dubé

Hermo

Chan

et al. 2010

Biology of Reproduction

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Post-testicular sperm maturation requires a specific luminal environment in the epididymis that is created, in part, by the blood-epididymis barrier. There is limited information on gene expression in the epididymis of infertile obstructive azoospermia (OA) patients due to the difficulty in obtaining tissues. The objectives of this study were to determine if epididymal tight junction proteins are altered in OA and to develop cell lines that could serve to elucidate alterations in the epididymis of infertile men. Epididymal claudin (CLDN) 1, CLDN4, and CLDN10 mRNA levels were altered in OA downstream from the obstruction site. Epithelial cell lines derived from the caput epididymidis of one OA patient were developed (infertile human caput epididymal cell line [IHCE]). IHCEs were composed of homogenous populations of diploid cells that ultrastructurally resembled in vivo principal cells. The cells expressed cytokeratin, SPAG11B, CLDN2, CLDN3, desmoplakin, and vimentin. However, the cells did not express several other epididymal markers (CRISP1, SPINLW1, NPC2, CD52, or DCXR) or junctional proteins (CDH1, CDH2, CLDN1, CLDN4, CLDN7, or CLDN8). Further studies using IHCE1 and transepithelial resistance indicated that the cells were unable to form tight junctions. Microarray analyses comparing gene expression in IHCE1 and a recently developed fertile human caput epididymal cell line revealed differential expression of genes encoding junctional proteins, cell junction regulators, and epididymal proteins. Together, these data indicate that epididymal cellular junctions appear to be altered in OA.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 97%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Alterations in the Human Blood-Epididymis Barrier in Obstructive Azoospermia and the Development of Novel Epididymal Cell Lines from Infertile Men1

Dubé

Hermo

Chan

et al. 2010

Biology of Reproduction

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“…There is very little information on the changes in epididymal sperm morphology because of long‐term obstruction of the epididymal duct. Following successful VEA, spermatozoa in the ejaculate were found to exhibit a high percentage of morphological abnormalities of the head including pyriform, round, tapering, and large heads and defective midpiece and tail (Rajalakshmi et al. , 1993).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Obstructive infertility: changes in the histology of different regions of the epididymis and morphology of spermatozoa

Pal¹,

Manocha

Kapur

et al. 2006

Andrologia

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In the present study, the effects of prolonged obstruction in different regions of the human epididymis on its histology and on the spermatozoa retained at the site of obstruction were assessed. Men who were confirmed of having obstruction of the epididymis underwent vasoepididymostomy (VEA) for surgical correction of the obstruction. At the time of surgery, fluid from the epididymal tubule above the site of obstruction was aspirated and examined for sperm profile. Epididymal tissue, collected at the site of obstruction, was processed for assessment of histological changes and also used to identify the site of obstruction. Prolonged obstruction of the epididymis has caused degeneration of the epididymal epithelium, gradual decrease in the diameter of the tubule and tubular lumen and increase in the intertubular connective tissue. Sperm aspirated from the caput epididymal fluid showed sluggish pattern of motility only in one out of the six subjects, whereas spermatozoa collected from the cauda epididymal fluid showed rapid linear progressive motility in one of three subjects. A major percentage of spermatozoa in the aspirated fluid showed various types of morphological abnormalities, irrespective of the site of obstruction. These results are discussed in relation to the role of the epididymis in investing spermatozoa with motility and fertilizing capacity.

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“…Apical blebs have been reported in the epithelia of various ducts of the male reproductive tract of the rat, mouse, dog, monkey, and bull (see the reviews of Aumuller et al, 1999;Hermo et al, 2002;Hess, 2002). In humans, they have been reported in the epididymis, seminal vesicle, coagulating gland, and prostate (Rajalakshmi et al, 1993;Aumuller et al, 1999). However, this is the first transmission electron microscopic study examining their appearance and contents in the human VD.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 91%

Ultrastructural Features of the Vas Deferens From Patients Undergoing Vasectomy and Vasectomy Reversal

ANDONIAN,

JARVI,

ZINI

et al. 2002

Journal of Andrology

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Despite more than 30 million vasectomies, the ultrastructural features of the epithelium of the vas deferens (VD) of healthy fertile men, as well as the effects of vasectomy at both proximal (testicular) and distal (abdominal) regions of the VD relative to the initial site of incision, have yet to be fully elucidated. In the present study, the VD from 22 fertile men undergoing vasectomy and 7 vasectomized men undergoing vasectomy reversal were examined by light and transmission electron microscopy. In fertile men, aside from cellular organelles involved in endocytosis and merocrine secretion, the epithelial principal cells showed protrusions of their apical cytoplasm between adjacent microvilli, referred to as “apical blebs.” The latter contained solely numerous ribosomes/polysomes and few endoplasmic reticulum (ER) cisternae, unlike the presence of lysosomes, lipofuscin granules, mitochondria, and the Golgi apparatus in the apical principal cell cytoplasm, suggesting the segregation of organelles within blebs. Many apical blebs presented a bulbous extremity with a thin stalklike attachment connecting them to the apical principal cell surface, while others appeared to be isolated and well removed from it, suggesting that blebs are capable of detaching and being liberated into the lumen. We hypothesize that apical blebs represent a type of secretion, referred to as “apocrine secretion.” In men undergoing vasectomy reversal, the VD proximal (testicular) to the vasectomy site showed a reduction in the size of principal cells and their microvilli and in the number of apical blebs. In contrast, the lumen of the VD distal (abdominal) to the vasectomy site was virtually abolished, with the epithelium reduced to a flattened layer of cells showing a paucity of organelles and no apical blebs, suggesting that these cells become undifferentiated in the absence of seminal fluids. Taken together, these data may explain, in part, the decreased pregnancy rate noted after vasectomy reversal despite a patent anastomosis.

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Ultrastructural changes in the efferent duct and epididymis of men with obstructive infertility

Cited by 14 publications

References 11 publications

Alterations in the Human Blood-Epididymis Barrier in Obstructive Azoospermia and the Development of Novel Epididymal Cell Lines from Infertile Men1

Alterations in the Human Blood-Epididymis Barrier in Obstructive Azoospermia and the Development of Novel Epididymal Cell Lines from Infertile Men1

Obstructive infertility: changes in the histology of different regions of the epididymis and morphology of spermatozoa

Ultrastructural Features of the Vas Deferens From Patients Undergoing Vasectomy and Vasectomy Reversal

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