Immunohistochemistry of prostasomes from human semen.
BACKGROUND
To elucidate the origin of so-called "prostasomes" in human semen, a polyvalent rabbit antiserum was produced against a highly purified preparation of these secretory particles.


METHODS
An immunoaffinity selected fraction of the antiserum contained one antibody which in Western blots of prostate extracts showed a 100 kDa band.


RESULTS
Semithin sections processed for immunohistochemistry by using this immunoselected antibody presented a distinct immunoreaction at the apical plasma membrane of secretory cells. The immunoreaction was not organ specific, but was present also in seminal vesicles, epididymis, salivary glands, and kidney. As spermatozoa present in epididymis and seminal vesicles were likewise immunoreactive, a polytopic origin of the respective antigen was concluded.


CONCLUSIONS
Prostatsomes therefore should rather be designated as "seminosomes" which more clearly refers to the composite origin of these particles.
Renneberg
H
H
Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Philipps Universität, Marburg, Germany.
Konrad
L
L
Dammshäuser
I
I
Seitz
J
J
Aumüller
G
G
D000818:Animals; D000918:Antibody Specificity; D000941:Antigens / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification; D015153:Blotting, Western; D003594:Cytoplasmic Granules / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D004591:Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D000939:Epitopes / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007106:Immune Sera / Q000276:immunology; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D011467:Prostate / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D011817:Rabbits; D051381:Rats; D012661:Semen / Q000737:chemistry / Q000166:cytology*; D013045:Species Specificity
D000941:Antigens; D000939:Epitopes; D007106:Immune Sera