The Effect of Antiepididymal Rabbit Serum on Rat Epididymis

Kim, Yu Chan; Kim, Kee Soo

Abstract

Evidence of antigenicity of testis and semen has been presented since Landsteiner (1899), Metchinikoff (1900) and Metalnikoff (1900) first demonstrated the induction of a spermatoxic antibody in animals sensitized with testicular homogenates or semen. Interest in the field of male accessory sex gland began longtime ago, when the first cross-reaction between extracts of prostate, seminal plasma were demonstrated. Saline extracts of prostatic secretion from bulls, tested by double agar diffusion technique showed four antigens common to serum proteins and spermatozoa. The seminal vesicle have been found to have three to five antigens, also with common reactivity to spermatozoa. Attempts have been made to induce cross-immunologic damage in the testes by repeated immunization of mice with epididymal extracts (free of sperm) plus adjuvant and it was claimed that spermatogenesis was adversely effected and fertility of females was markedify reduced following mating with immunized male (Shethye and Rao, 1968; Kim and Kim, 1982). Rabit antiserum produced against the tissue protein of rat epididymis and seminal vesicle was capable of immobilizing and agfflutinating the sperm of both animals and the rabbit antiserum against complex antigen of epididymal tissue protein and seminal vesicle tissue protein of rat was most potent on sperm immobilization and agglutination of both animals (Cha and Kim, 1975). The purpose of this study is to observe the effect of rabbit anti-rat epididymal serum on epididymis and spermatogenesis in rat. The results were as follow; 1. The intraluminalspermatozoa of epididymis were decreased in number but immature sperm cells were much more noted than normal control group. The interspaces of epididymal ducts were widened and infiltrated with mononuclear cells and congestion in some places. There was no definite degenerative changes on epididymal epithelium. 2. Spermatogenesis was mildly to moderately impaired in the experimental group whereasit was unaffected in the control group. Degeneration and exfoliation were found in the germinal cells of seminiferous tubules. Intraluminal Spermatozoa of seminiferous tubules were decreased in number.