Need based structural changes in the ductulus efferentis during sperm movements in the human epididymis.
The dynamic structures of the human ductuli efferentes, which connect between the rete testis and the ductulus epididymidis, are described in the present paper. Maturation of sperm takes place in the tubule and after this process the group of sperm is transferred to the ductus. All ductuli do not show the same histological contents. Each ductulus shows variety of different configuration depending on the functional phase (the state of sperm maturation) of the tubule. The basic pattern of all the tubuli is the same, however, they differ in the thickness, cytoplasmic components of epithelial cells and luminal contents. Larger tubule has big lumen whereas small is almost without a lumen. During the process, spherical and luminal macrophages act as nurse macrophage by using G1 granules obtained from the epithelial cell, and irregular shaped macrophage in the small tubule acts as scavenger macrophage. It has been shown that the epithelial cell of the large tubule show intense excretory activity and the secretory substance is different from other granules and lysosomes by periodic acid methenamine silver staining.
Yasuzumi
Fumioki
F
Department of Physiological Science Anatomy 2, Faculty of Medicine, University of the Ryukyus, 207 Uehara, Nishihara, Okinawa, 903-0215 Japan. anatomy2@w3.u-ryukyu.ac.jp
D003594:Cytoplasmic Granules / Q000648:ultrastructure; D004822:Epididymis / Q000166:cytology* / Q000502:physiology; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology; D006651:Histocytochemistry / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D008264:Macrophages / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012152:Rete Testis / Q000166:cytology* / Q000502:physiology; D013079:Sperm Maturation / Q000502:physiology; D013081:Sperm Motility / Q000502:physiology*; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology*