Skip to main content
ARS Home » Northeast Area » Beltsville, Maryland (BARC) » Beltsville Agricultural Research Center » Animal Biosciences & Biotechnology Laboratory » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #300202
Title: Interaction of resident sperm with sperm-storage tubule (SST) epithelial cell microvilli in the turkey breeder hen

Author
item Bakst, Murray
item MURPHY, CHARLES - US Department Of Agriculture (USDA)

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 11/18/2013
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Interaction of resident sperm with sperm-storage tubule (SST) epithelial cell microvilli in the turkey breeder hen M.R. Bakst*1 and C. Murphy2, 1Animal Biosciences and Biotechnology Laboratory, 2Electron & Confocal Microscopy Unit, Beltsville Area, ARS, USDA, Beltsville MD Sustained fertilization of a succession of ova in female birds in the absence of repeated matings or artificial inseminations is dependent on the storage continued release of sperm from the oviductal SSTs. Little is known regarding the cellular and molecular mechanisms responsible for sperm subsistence in the lumen of the SST. Using transmission electron microscopy (TEM), bright field microscopy, and differential interference contrast microscopy (DIC) we examined the relationship between resident sperm and the SST epithelium, specifically sperm interaction with the microvilli on the apical surface of the SST epithelial cell. For TEM, UVJ mucosae containing SSTs were isolated from Hybrid turkey breeders at 46 (n=2) and 51 (n=2) wks of age and fixed in 2% glutaraldehyde or Karnosky’s fixative (paraformaldehyde/glutaraldehyde mix), respectively. Thick sections of plastic embedded tissue from both age groups were examined by bright field microscopy while squash preparations of unfixed UVJ from the 46 wk old hens were examined by DIC. Although the older hen group had fewer sperm in their SSTs, observations of the SSTs with and without resident sperm were generally consistent with previous reports. However, in the younger group, TEM cross sections of SSTs revealed two remarkable features: the microvilli were intimately associated with resident sperm; and, blebbing of the apical tips of some microvilli. Furthermore, small, membrane bound vesicles, possibly originating from the blebs, were in contact with the plasmalemmae of resident sperm. While less prevalent in the older hen group, microvilli blebbing was observed in SSTs with and without sperm. We do not believe the microvilli blebbing was an artifact as the mitochondria, which are highly susceptible to preparation artifacts, in the same cells as the blebs appeared normal. We hypothesize that the blebbing represents a form of apocrine secretion providing lipid material via the small membrane bound vesicles for sperm sustenance and maintenance during storage. We are currently investigating this hypothesis and whether the sperm-microvilli interactions within the SST lumen is a receptor mediated function similar to that seen in mammalian oviduct.