Development of apical blebbing in the boar epididymis

PLoS One. 2015 May 21;10(5):e0126848. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0126848. eCollection 2015.

Abstract

Microvesicles are of increasing interest in biology as part of normal function of numerous systems; from the immune system (T cell activation) to implantation of the embryo (invasion of the trophoblasts) and sperm maturation (protein transfer in the epididymis). Yet, the mechanisms involved in the appearance of apical blebbing from healthy cells as part of their normal function remain understudied. Microvesicles are produced via one of two pathways: exocytosis or apical blebbing also termed ectocytosis. This work quantifies the histological appearance of apical blebbing in the porcine epididymis during development and examines the role of endogenous estrogens in regulating this blebbing. Apical blebbing appears at puberty and increases in a linear manner into sexual maturity suggesting that this blebbing is a mature phenotype. Endogenous estrogen levels were reduced with an aromatase inhibitor but such a reduction did not affect apical blebbing in treated animals compared with their vehicle-treated littermates. Epididymal production of apical blebs is a secretion mechanism of functionally mature principal cells regulated by factors other than estradiol.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Cell-Derived Microparticles / metabolism*
  • Epididymis / cytology*
  • Epididymis / metabolism*
  • Male
  • Sperm Maturation
  • Swine

Grants and funding

This research was supported in part by the National Research Initiative Competitive Grant 2008-35203-19082 from the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture to TB, W2171 multistate research project to TB, a W.K. Kellogg Endowment to TB, Humphries Fellowship to JRH, Austin Eugene Lyons Memorial Fellowship to JRH and the infrastructure support of the Department of Animal Science, College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, and The California Agricultural Experiment Station of the University of California-Davis. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.