Somatic innervation contributes to the release of bulbourethral gland secretion in male rats.

BACKGROUND: In male rats, the bulbourethral glands (Bu-Gs) are the unique accessory sexual glands surrounded by striated musculature. However, until now the role of this musculature was unknown. OBJECTIVES: (i) To characterize the Bu-Gs striated muscular layer in male rats and determine its innervation and response to genital stimulation. (ii) To reveal the role of the Bu-Gs striated musculature in the release of glandular secretion. (iii) To elucidate the effect of bilateral ablation of the Bu-Gs on copulatory behavior and seminal fluid characteristics. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Adult Wistar male rats were allocated in three experiments: in Experiment 1, the Bu-Gs striated musculature, innervation and reflex activity were determined by gross anatomy and histological and electrophysiological techniques; electromyographic activity of the Bu-Gs striated musculature was evoked with genital stimulation. In Experiment 2, Bu-Gs were analyzed after copulatory behavior of intact or animals with unilateral transected motor branch of the sacral plexus (MBSP). In Experiment 3, copulatory behavior and spermatobioscopy of males with bilateral ablation of the Bu-Gs or sham surgery were analyzed. RESULTS: The Bu-Gs striated fibers discharged in response to mechanostimulation of the prepuce, glans, and penile-urethra. Innervation of the Bu-Gs striated musculature originated from the MBSP; this nerve also innervates striated penile muscles. Unilateral transection of the MBSP significantly decreased the secretion from the ipsilateral Bu-G to the nerve transection. Bilateral ablation of Bu-Gs did not affect seminal plug formation but decreased semen viscosity. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: The Bu-Gs striated musculature contributes to expel glandular secretion during sexual intercourse. The somatic control of Bu-Gs secretion is additional to the reported autonomic innervation supplied by the cavernosus nerve, which may underlie the synthesis of secretion as well as contraction of Bu-Gs smooth muscle.

Morfologia e histoquímica das glândulas sexuais acessórias de Metachirus nudicaudatus, Didelphidae-Marsupialia / Morphology and histochemistry of accessory sex glands of Metachirus nudicaudatus, Didelphidae-Marsupialia

São descritas a morfologia e a distribuição de glicogênio e mucossubstâncias na próstata e nas glândulas bulbouretrais de Metachirus nudicaudatus (Geoffroy, 1803), única espécie do gênero. A próstata é envolvida pelas túnicas adventícia e muscular, e o estroma é formado pelo conjuntivo da mucosa uretral. O parênquima é constituído pelos túbulos secretores, disseminados na mucosa uretral, e que diferem histológica e histoquimicamente nos segmentos cranial, médio e caudal. Essas diferenças morfo-histoquímicas também são observadas nas partes externa, média e interna de cada túbulo. De um modo geral, os três segmentos prostáticos secretam mucossubstâncias neutras, porém o segmento caudal produz também glicogênio. Os três pares de glândulas bulbouretrais (laterais, intermédias e mediais) do Metachirus são envolvidas por uma cápsula conjuntiva e músculo estriado esquelético. O maior par é a bulbouretral lateral que é constituída por longos túbulos secretores de mucossubstâncias neutras. As bulbouretrais intermédias são formadas por túbulos ramificados, que produzem mucossubstâncias neutras, ácidas carboxiladas e ácidas sulfatadas. Os túbulo-ácinos ramificados das bulbouretrais mediais secretam mucossubstâncias neutras. O Metachirus não possui glândulas ampulares, vesículas seminais nem glândulas de coagulação.(AU)

This paper describes the morphology and distribution of glycogen and mucous substances in the prostate and the bulbourethral glands of Metachirus nudicaudatus (Geoffroy, 1803), the only species of the genus. The prostate is surrounded by the tunica adventitia, and muscle and stroma is formed by connective urethral mucosa. The glandular parenchyma consists of secretory tubules, scattered throughout the connective tissue of the urethral mucosa which differs histologically and histochemically in cranial, middle, and caudal segments of the prostate. These morpho-histochemical differences are also observed in the outer, middle and inner parts of the tubular epithelium of each prostatic segment. In general, prostatic segments secrete neutral mucous substances, and the caudal segment also produces glycogen. The three pairs of bulbourethral glands (lateral, intermediate and medial) are surrounded by a capsule of dense connective tissue and skeletal striated muscle. The glandular parenchyma is formed by tubules or branched tubuloacinar, covered by simple epithelium which is characteristic for each pair of glands. The lateral bulbourethral glands and the medial bulbourethral glands produce neutral mucous substances and the secretion of the intermediate bulbourethral glands consists of neutral mucous substances, carboxylated acids, and sulfated acids. The M. nudicaudatus does not have ampullary glands, seminal vesicles or coagulating glands.(AU)

Llama oviductal sperm reservoirs: involvement of bulbourethral glands.

The aim of this study was to elucidate the role of llama seminal plasma in the formation of oviductal sperm reservoirs. Female llamas with follicles in the mature phase were mated with a bulbourethral glands-removed male. Females mated with nonbulbourethral glands-removed males were used as control. Oviducts were obtained by surgery 24 h after mating. The uterotubal junction and isthmus were examined by scanning electron microscopy, and mucopolysaccharides were identified by Alcian blue staining. To know the proteins probably involved in sperm reservoir formation, SDS-PAGE of seminal plasma (8% and 18% resolving gel) was made. Spermatozoa only adhered to the oviductal mucosa surface of uterotubal junction of females mated with nonbulbourethral glands-removed males confirming that seminal plasma and, in particular, bulbourethral secretions are related with the oviductal sperm reservoir formation. Histological sections showed sperm in the lumen, immersed in substance, positive for acid mucopolysaccharides. Alcian blue staining of seminal plasma proteins SDS-PAGE showed a band of high molecular weight containing mucopolysaccharides, only present in nonbulbourethral glands-removed males. Bulbourethral glands would secrete at least eight different proteins that most likely participate in the process of sperm storage in the oviduct.

[Dynamics of proliferation and apoptosis in the human bulbourethral glands in the process of aging].

The dynamics of the processes of proliferation and apoptosis in the epithelium of the bulbourethral glands in men aged 17-90 years was studied using monoclonal antibodies against PCNA and p53. Higher levels of cell reproduction and cell death were noted in the glandular duct epithelium as compared to those in secretory portions. Age-related increase in apoptosis which correlated with the activation of the glandular cell proliferation was shown. In old men, apoptosis in the bulbourethral glands was accompanied by the tendency to reduced cell proliferation. The correlation between the processes of cell reproduction and cell death in the epithelium of the bulbourethral glands, as well as their dependence on blood androgen levels, are discussed.

A neglected gland: a review of Cowper's gland.

Cowper's glands are pea sized glands present inferior to the prostate gland in the male reproductive system. They produce thick clear mucus prior to ejaculation that drains into the spongy urethra. Though it is well established that the function of the Cowper's gland secretions is to neutralize traces of acidic urine in the urethra, knowledge regarding the various lesions and associated complications of this gland is scarce. This review provides a comprehensive report on the development, function and various lesions associated with Cowper's gland.

Vaccination of boars with a GnRH vaccine (Improvac) eliminates boar taint and increases growth performance.

Peri- and postpubertal boars accumulate substances (e.g., androstenone and skatole) in their fatty tissue that are responsible for boar taint in pork. The objective of this study was to assess the efficacy of a GnRH vaccine, Improvac, in eliminating boar taint. Three hundred male (200 intact boars, 100 barrows) crossbred (Large White x Landrace) pigs were used in a 2 x 3 factorially arranged experiment. The respective factors were sex group (barrows, boars treated with placebo, or boars treated with Improvac) and slaughter age (23 or 26 wk). Vaccines were administered 8 and 4 wk before slaughter. All Improvac-treated pigs exhibited anti-GnRH titers. Testes and bulbo-urethral gland weights in treated pigs were reduced by approximately 50% (P < 0.001) and serum testosterone levels were below 2 ng/mL in the majority of treated boars (94 and 92% across both age groups at 2 and 4 wk, respectively). Boar taint, as assessed by the concentration of androstenone and skatole in s.c. fat, was suppressed to low or undetectable levels in 100% of Improvac-treated boars. No Improvac-treated pigs had significant concentrations of either androstenone (> 1.0 microg/g) or skatole (> 0.20 microg/g). In contrast, 49.5% of placebo-treated controls had significant androstenone and 10.8% had significant skatole levels, resulting in 10% of the control boars with high concentrations of both compounds. The mean concentrations of taint compounds in the Improvac-treated pigs were not significantly different from those in barrows. Improvac-treated boars grew more rapidly (P = 0.051 and < 0.001 for pigs slaughtered at 23 and 26 wk of age, respectively) than control boars over the 4 wk after the secondary vaccination, possibly because of reduced sexual and aggressive activities. Compared with barrows, Improvac-treated boars were leaner and had superior feed conversion efficiency. The vaccine was well tolerated by the pigs, and no observable site reactions could be detected at the time of slaughter. Vaccination of boars with Improvac allows production of heavy boars with improved meat quality through prevention and control of boar taint.

[Cowper's gland: anatomic, physiological and pathological aspects]. / Glandes de Cowper: aspects anatomique, physiologique et pathologique.

Cowper's glands are small appendages of the male genital tract, that are sometimes observed on intravenous urography voiding films. They are involved in the immune defence of the genitourinary tract, play a role in fertility, and secrete many glycoproteins, including PSA. They can be visualized in the form of a duct image parallel to the urethra, sometimes associated with opacification of the gland on IVU. This image can be differentiated from a fistula, extravasation of contrast agent, urethral duplication, or an artefactual image, by the course parallel to the urethra, the upper limit not exceeding the urogenital diaphragm, and the position of the orifice. These glands can be affected by neoplastic, infectious, stone and especially cystic disease: syringocele. The physician should think of these glands in patients with unusual genitourinary symptoms in order not to miss disease of these organs, and to prescribe appropriate treatment.

Effect of mesenchymal glandular inductors on the growth and cytodifferentiation of neonatal mouse seminal vesicle epithelium.

To investigate the developmental properties of glandular mesenchymal inductors along the cranial-caudal extent of the developing male urogenital tract, neonatal mouse seminal vesicle epithelium (SVE) was combined with mesenchyme of the seminal vesicle (SVM), urogenital sinus (UGM), bulbourethral gland (BUG-M), or bladder (BLM) and grafted under the renal capsule of adult syngeneic or athymic male mice. Both SVM + SVE and UGM + SVE tissue recombinants expressed SV histogenesis and SV secretory proteins. BUG-M + SVE recombinants exhibited extensive growth as evidenced by a 36-fold increase in wet weight and a 27-fold increase in DNA content; however, the glandular structures that were induced in the SVE lacked the convoluted mucosa typical of SV. Furthermore, neither SV nor prostatic secretory proteins were detected in these recombinants. SVE grown in association with BLM failed to develop altogether. Thus, the ability to promote SV histogenesis and function is distinctly different in mesenchyme of cranial (SVM and UGM) versus caudal (BUG-M) regions. This implies the existence of a glandular inductive field in the developing male urogenital tract within which inductive activity varies regionally.

Immune response to parasitic infection in mice without seminal vesicles.

A protracted depression of anti-parasitic antibody and DTH responses were observed in Balb/c mice after surgical extirpation of seminal vesicles and ulterior infection with Taenia crassiceps cysts. Inclusion of male seminal accessory glands into the network of immunogonadal interactions was proposed.

O tempo de latência do reflexo bulbo-cavernoso em sujeitos com ejaculaçäo prematura / Latency period of the bulbocavernous reflex in patients with premature ejaculation

Numa série de 10 pacientes consecutivos que se submeteram à investigaçäo por ejaculaçäo prematura, e nos quais foi realizada a eletromiografia do arco reflexo sacral-reflexo bulbo cavernoso-encontramos um tempo de latência aumentado estatisticamente significativo em relaçäo a um grupo padräo

Contribuiçäo ao estudo morfológico das glândulas anexas do trato reprodutor masculino em cobaia (Cavia porcellus, L.): estruturas das glândulas coaguladoras de semên e bulboretrais / Morphological study of the male acessory sex glands in the guinea pig (Cavia porcellus, L.): structures of semen coagulating glands and bulbourethral

As características morfológicas das glândulas coaguladoras de sêmen e bulbouretrais säo reexaminadas, na cobaia, ao nível do microscópio óptico. As glândulas coaguladoras säo formadas por três túnicas distintas e superpostas: a mucosa, revestida por epitélio cilíndrico simples, alto, e ativamente secretor; a muscular lisa com dois estratos distintos, circular interno e longitudinal externo; e delgada adventícia fibrosa. O epitélio repousa sobre delgada membrana basal e uma delicada lâmina própria, de tecido conjuntivo frouxo, separa a mucosa da muscular, subjacente. Estas glândulas foram consideradas como parte do complexo prostático, mas de acordo com nossas observaçöes, em verdade, elas estabelecem estreita sintopia com a parte distal das vesículas seminais, em cuja estrutura se incluem. Elas também fazem relaçäo com o lobo dorsal da próstata. As glândulas bulbouretrais têm composiçäo acinar alveolar e descarregam sua secreçäo, através de ductos múltiplos, na uretra membranosa. A secreçäo das bulbouretrais se mistura à das outras glândulas anexas na uretra membranosa. A coagulaçäo do líquido seminal parece ser o principal papel da secreçäo combinada de ambas as glândulas