Evidence of regional differences in the lectin histochemistry along the ductus epididymis of the lizard, Podarcis sicula Raf.
The regional difference in the carbohydrate components of the ductus epididymis epithelium of a lizard was delineated by means of 13 lectins. Basal cells expressed only N-acetylglucosamine (GlcNAc). Throughout the ductus, the secretory cells showed oligosaccharides with terminal N-acetylneuraminic acid (Neu5Ac)alpha(2,6)galactose (Gal)/N-acetylgalactosamine (GalNAc) and internal mannose (Man) and/or glucose (Glc) in the whole cytoplasm, oligosaccharides terminating in Neu5Ac alpha(2,6)Gal beta(1,3)GalNAc, Neu5Ac alpha(2,6)Gal beta(1,4)GlcNAc, GalNAc, GlcNAc, and fucose (Fuc) in the supra-nuclear zone, and also glycans terminating in Neu5Ac alpha(2,3)Gal beta(1,4)GlcNAc, Neu5Ac alpha(2,6)Gal beta(1,3)GalNAc, Gal beta(1,4)GlcNAc on the luminal surface. In the caput and corpus regions, the supra-nuclear cytoplasm was characterized by terminal Gal beta(1,4)GlcNAc and alphaGalNAc, the luminal surface by alphaGalNAc and Gal. The Golgi zone, showing oligosaccharides with terminal Neu5Ac alpha(2,3)Gal beta(1,4)GlcNAc, Neu5Ac alpha(2,6)Gal beta(1,3)GalNAc, Neu5Ac alpha(2,6)Gal beta(1,4)GlcNAc, and internal GlcNAc, expressed terminal Gal beta(1,4)GlcNAc and alphaGalNAc in the caput, and terminal betaGalNAc in the corpus. The granules showed all the investigated carbohydrates in their peripheral zone except terminal betaGalNAc and Fuc, whereas internal Man/Glc and terminal Gal were expressed in the central core, and Fuc throughout the ductus, terminal GlcNAc in the caput and corpus, and terminal alphaGalNAc only in the corpus.
Desantis
Salvatore
S
Department of Zoology, University of Bari, Via E. Orabona, 70125 Bari, Italy.
Labate
Mario
M
Labate
Grazia Maria
GM
Cirillo
Fedelia
F
D000818:Animals; D050260:Carbohydrate Metabolism; D004396:Coloring Agents; D004822:Epididymis / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D006651:Histocytochemistry; D006868:Hydrolysis; D037102:Lectins; D008116:Lizards / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D009844:Oligosaccharides / Q000378:metabolism
D004396:Coloring Agents; D037102:Lectins; D009844:Oligosaccharides