These tools will no longer be maintained as of December 31, 2024. Archived website can be found here. PubMed4Hh GitHub repository can be found here. Contact NLM Customer Service if you have questions.


Pubmed for Handhelds

PUBMED FOR HANDHELDS

Search MEDLINE/PubMed

  • Title: Ultrastructure and morphometry of the urethral glands in normal, castrated, and testosterone-treated castrated male mice.
    Author: Parr MB, Ren HP, Kepple L, Parr EL, Russell LD.
    Journal: Anat Rec; 1993 Jul; 236(3):449-58. PubMed ID: 8363050.
    Abstract:
    Recent studies of the urethral glands in the male mouse and rat have suggested that they are testosterone-dependent glands that may be potential sites for secretory immunity in the male genital tract. In the present study we describe the ultrastructural features of these glands in normal mice and provide quantitative data on the sizes of the acinar cells and their organelles in sham-, oil-, and testosterone-treated castrated mice. Acinar cells in urethral glands from normal mice contain numerous secretory granules, prominent Golgi complexes, elongated mitochondria, and an abundance of rough endoplasmic reticulum (RER) with large and dilated cisternae, all of which are features characteristic of secretory cells. In some acinar cells the cisternae of the RER were filled with closely packed, unbranched, straight, tubular structures that were oriented parallel to one another, that radiated from aggregates of dense material, or that were randomly arranged. In other acinar cells the cisternae of the RER showed a network of branching and anastomosing vesicular-like structures whose limiting membranes were occasionally seen in continuity with the membranes of the RER. Secretory acini showed large, unbranched tubules in the acinar lumen. When cut at right angles the large tubules exhibited a distinct fuzzy outer coat with fine projections radiating outwards. The ultrastructure of the acinar cells and the presence of tubules in the lumen suggests that they are engaged in secretion of a tubular protein. Morphometric analysis of acinar cells in the urethral glands showed that the mean volumes of nuclei, cytoplasm, secretory granules, vacuoles, and mitochondria were significantly reduced in castrated mice in comparison to either normal or testosterone-treated castrated mice. This confirms earlier observations that the urethral glands are targets of testosterone.
    [Abstract] [Full Text] [Related] [New Search]