title: Seasonal changes in the prostatic complex of Artibeus planirostris (Chiroptera: Phyllostomidae).
abstract: The male reproductive accessory glands are important organs that secrete products that ensure the survival, viability and motility of spermatozoa, not only in the male reproductive tract, but also in the female. Most studies relating to the reproduction of bats do not include these glands, and detailed studies of these glands describing annual variations in the morphology and physiology are scarce. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of these variations on morphophysiology of the prostatic complex (PC) of Artibeus planirostris (Chiroptera: Phyllostomidae). Adult males were collected from June 2009 to July 2010, and the PC was subjected to various analyses. We observed that the PC showed marked variations throughout the year. Both PC and testicular weight increased synchronously with an increasing rate of circulating testosterone, from the autumn until summer, demonstrating that both organs are regulated by this hormone. Each region of the PC (ventral and dorsal) was unique and distinct. The ventral region showed the glandular lumen as a predominant component, in contrast to the dorsal introduced epithelium; acid phosphatase activity was observed in the epithelium of all acini in the dorsal region, but only in the stroma of the ventral region, in addition each region responded differently to variations in the environment and circulating testosterone. We concluded that the PC of A. planirostris produces two secretory peaks, which were related to a gradual increase in the rate of circulating testosterone, which stimulates both of the prostate regions to prepare for the two reproductive periods.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, UNESP - Univ Estadual Paulista, São José do Rio Preto, São Paulo 15054-000, Brazil.
authors.forename: Cíntia C I
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Puga
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, UNESP - Univ Estadual Paulista, São José do Rio Preto, São Paulo 15054-000, Brazil.
authors.forename: Mateus R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Beguelini
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, UNESP - Univ Estadual Paulista, São José do Rio Preto, São Paulo 15054-000, Brazil.
authors.forename: Fabiane F
authors.initials: FF
authors.lastname: Martins
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, UNESP - Univ Estadual Paulista, São José do Rio Preto, São Paulo 15054-000, Brazil.
authors.forename: Luiz Roberto
authors.initials: LR
authors.lastname: Falleiros
authors.affiliation: Department of Zoology and Botany, UNESP - Univ Estadual Paulista, São José do Rio Preto, São Paulo 15054-000, Brazil.
authors.forename: Eliana
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Morielle-Versute
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, UNESP - Univ Estadual Paulista, São José do Rio Preto, São Paulo 15054-000, Brazil.
authors.forename: Patricia S L
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: Vilamaior
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, UNESP - Univ Estadual Paulista, São José do Rio Preto, São Paulo 15054-000, Brazil. Electronic address: taboga@ibilce.unesp.br.
authors.forename: Sebastião R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Taboga
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000502:physiology; D001835:Body Weight / Q000502:physiology; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D002685:Chiroptera / Q000502:physiology*; D002980:Climate; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011467:Prostate / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology*; D012098:Reproduction / Q000502:physiology*; D012621:Seasons; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000502:physiology; D013737:Testis / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology; D013739:Testosterone / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D013739:Testosterone
keywords: Phyllostomidae; Prostatic complex; Seasonality