title: Androgen-related sperm storage in oviduct of Chinese Soft-Shelled Turtle in vivo during annual cycle.
abstract: Long-term sperm storage in the female genital tract is essential for the appropriate timing of reproductive events in animals with asynchronous copulation and ovulation. However, the mechanism underlying the prolonged storage of spermatozoa is largely unexplored in turtles. In the present study, the role of androgen in sperm storage was investigated in the oviduct of the Chinese soft-shelled turtle, Pelodiscus sinensis. Morphological analysis revealed that spermatozoa were observed in the vagina, uterus and isthmus of the oviduct throughout the hibernation season. The increase of circulating testosterone and dihydrotestosterone levels were consistent with the arrangement of spermatozoa that had their head embedded among the cilia of the oviduct mucosal epithelium. Immunohistochemical analysis revealed that androgen receptor was distributed throughout the cytoplasm of gland cells and among the cilia of ciliated cells. Furthermore, marked variations in protein and mRNA levels of androgen receptor were validated through Western blot and qPCR analyses. The localization and the variation of androgen receptor demonstrated the crucial roles of androgens in sperm storage in the oviduct of P. sinensis. These results provide fundamental insights into the interaction of androgen and sperm storage and facilitate the elucidation of the mechanism of sperm storage in turtles.
authors: Laboratory of Animal Cell Biology and Embryology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, 210095, China.
authors: Tengfei
authors: T
authors: Liu
authors: Laboratory of Animal Cell Biology and Embryology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, 210095, China.
authors: Xiaoya
authors: X
authors: Chu
authors: Laboratory of Animal Cell Biology and Embryology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, 210095, China.
authors: Yufei
authors: Y
authors: Huang
authors: Laboratory of Animal Cell Biology and Embryology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, 210095, China.
authors: Ping
authors: P
authors: Yang
authors: Laboratory of Animal Cell Biology and Embryology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, 210095, China.
authors: Quanfu
authors: Q
authors: Li
authors: Laboratory of Animal Cell Biology and Embryology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, 210095, China.
authors: Lisi
authors: L
authors: Hu
authors: Laboratory of Animal Cell Biology and Embryology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, 210095, China.
authors: Hong
authors: H
authors: Chen
authors: Laboratory of Animal Cell Biology and Embryology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, 210095, China.
authors: Qiusheng
authors: Q
authors: Chen
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015153:Blotting, Western; D002923:Cilia / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D013196:Dihydrotestosterone / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D046529:Microscopy, Electron, Transmission; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence; D009092:Mucous Membrane / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D010057:Oviducts / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000473:pathology; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011944:Receptors, Androgen / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D012621:Seasons; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000502:physiology*; D013739:Testosterone / Q000097:blood; D014426:Turtles; D014599:Uterus / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D014621:Vagina / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D012333:RNA, Messenger; D011944:Receptors, Androgen; D013196:Dihydrotestosterone; D013739:Testosterone