Localization of calcium and zinc in the sperm storage tubules of chicken, quail and turkey using X-ray microanalysis

Reproduction ◽  
2000 ◽  
Vol 118 (2) ◽  
pp. 331-336 ◽  
Author(s):  
L Holm ◽  
H Ekwall ◽  
G. Wishart ◽  
Y Ridderstrale
Keyword(s):  
Sperm Storage ◽  
X Ray ◽  
Sperm Storage Tubules

Localization of calcium and zinc in the sperm storage tubules of chicken, quail and turkey using X-ray microanalysis

Reproduction ◽  
2000 ◽  
pp. 331-336 ◽  
Author(s):  
L Holm ◽  
H Ekwall ◽  
GJ Wishart ◽  
Y Ridderstrale
Keyword(s):  
Calcium Concentration ◽  
Sperm Storage ◽  
X Ray ◽  
Elemental Concentrations ◽  
Low Concentrations ◽  
Intracellular Content ◽  
Wet Weight ◽  
The Mean ◽  
Sperm Storage Tubules ◽  
Scanning Electron

Sperm storage tubules from the utero-vaginal junction of chickens, quails and turkeys were analysed for calcium and zinc using X-ray microanalysis of ultra-rapidly frozen tissue in a scanning electron microscope. This technique enabled the tubular fluid surrounding the stored spermatozoa and the intracellular content of the cells of the sperm storage tubules to be analysed separately and, by using standards with known concentrations, their elemental concentrations were estimated. The mean (+/- SEM) concentration of calcium in the tubular fluid from chickens, quails and turkeys was 17 +/- 3, 19 +/- 3 and 17 +/- 4 mmol kg(-1) wet weight, respectively. The intracellular calcium concentration of the cells of the tubules did not differ significantly from these values and was also similar in the mucosal epithelial cells of the utero-vaginal junction. Zinc was localized in the cells of turkey sperm storage tubules and tubular fluid, but at low concentrations. No zinc could be detected in corresponding structures from chickens and quails. The concentration of calcium in the tubular fluid is within the range known to inhibit the motility of spermatozoa, supporting this function for calcium during storage. Zinc is known to depress turkey sperm metabolism and it may also be involved in inducing quiescence of spermatozoa during storage in this species.

Localisation of calcium and zinc in the sperm storage tubules from chicken, quail and turkey using X-ray microanalysis

2000 ◽  
Vol 41 (sup001) ◽  
pp. 12-13 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. Holm ◽  
H. Ekwall ◽  
G.J. Wishart ◽  
Y. Ridderstråle
Keyword(s):  
Sperm Storage ◽  
X Ray ◽  
Sperm Storage Tubules

Isolation and molecular characterisation of sperm storage tubules from the oviducal mucosa of the turkey hen

2000 ◽  
Vol 41 (sup001) ◽  
pp. 14-14
Author(s):  
L. M. King ◽  
T.S. Sonstegard ◽  
T.J. Caperna ◽  
J-P. Brillard ◽  
M.R. Bakst ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Sperm Storage ◽  
Molecular Characterisation ◽  
Sperm Storage Tubules

scholarly journals Serial Analysis of Gene Expression in Turkey Sperm Storage Tubules in the Presence and Absence of Resident Sperm

2003 ◽  
Vol 69 (2) ◽  
pp. 469-474 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ezhou L. Long ◽  
Tad S. Sonstegard ◽  
Julie A. Long ◽  
Curtis P. Van Tassell ◽  
Kurt A. Zuelke
Keyword(s):  
Gene Expression ◽  
Sperm Storage ◽  
Presence And Absence ◽  
Sperm Storage Tubules

scholarly journals Segregation of spermatozoa within sperm storage tubules of fowl and turkey hens

Reproduction ◽  
2002 ◽  
pp. 79-86 ◽  
Author(s):  
LM King ◽  
JP Brillard ◽  
WM Garrett ◽  
MR Bakst ◽  
AM Donoghue
Keyword(s):  
Sperm Motility ◽  
Fluorescent Dyes ◽  
Sperm Storage ◽  
Relative Distribution ◽  
Hoechst 33342 ◽  
Sperm Entry ◽  
Sperm Nuclei ◽  
Sperm Storage Tubules ◽  
And Storage ◽  
Mammalian Spermatozoa

In avian species, spermatozoa reside in the oviduct for prolonged periods in specialized structures known as sperm storage tubules, but little is known about the relative distribution of spermatozoa in these tubules after successive inseminations by different males. The staining efficacies of various fluorescent dyes for fowl and turkey spermatozoa were evaluated to investigate one proposed mechanism of sperm competition. Hens were then inseminated at different intervals with stained and unstained spermatozoa to observe the spatial distribution of spermatozoa within the storage tubules. Several novel fluorescent lipophilic tracers that successfully stain mammalian spermatozoa either did not stain fowl or turkey spermatozoa, or greatly impaired sperm motility. In contrast, Hoechst 33342 readily stained sperm nuclei (fowl: 25 nmol l-1; turkey: 77 nmol l-1) within 4 h without inhibiting sperm motility, or affecting fertility or the hatching ability of the eggs. Hens were tandemly inseminated with equal numbers of stained or unstained spermatozoa at 24 h intervals and were killed 24 h after the final insemination to study sperm entry and storage within the tubules. Oviductal mucosa containing sperm storage tubules was removed, and individual tubules were classified as containing stained spermatozoa, unstained spermatozoa, a mixture of stained and unstained spermatozoa, or as not containing spermatozoa. Results from the present study indicate that spermatozoa from two different inseminations generally segregate into different storage tubules in both fowl and turkey hens. Storage tubules containing mixed populations of spermatozoa were found in only 4% of fowl and 12% of turkey storage tubules examined. Thus, the mechanism of last-male precedence does not appear to be due to the stratification of spermatozoa within the tubules.

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