Bergqvist, Ann-Sofi
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
Abstract
Hyaluronan (HA) is involved in several important steps of sperm storage and of fertilization. This study investigates the presence and concentration of HA in oviductal fluid (ODF), together with the localization of HA and the presence of hyaluronan-binding proteins (HABPs) in the oviductal epithelium of normally cycling dairy heifers and cows. The concentration and amount of HA in ODF, collected over the course of several oestrous cycles via catheters placed in the isthmic and ampullar tubal segments, were measured using an ELISA. The concentration and amount of HA in ODF did not vary significantly between these anatomical regions, nor between the stages of the oestrous cycle (p > 0.05), although the amount of HA seemed to peak during oestrous. The most HA per day (2.9 +/- 0.64 mu g, least square mean +/- SEM) was produced on the day of ovulation, whereas the lowest amount (1.25 +/- 0.68 mu g) was produced 4 days before ovulation. To investigate the localization of HA, tissue samples were retrieved at well-defined stages of the oestrous cycle and from corresponding regions of the oviduct. Sections and protein extracts from the tissue samples were studied histochemically using biotinylated HABP and immunoblotted with fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC)-HA, respectively. Presence of HA labelling in the oviductal epithelium was restricted to the sperm reservoir, a localization that seemed to be cycle-independent. The immunoblotting of samples from the lining epithelium revealed seven bands of HABPs. We confirm that the bovine oviduct produces HA and its binding proteins, and that HA is mainly localized to the epithelium of the sperm reservoir
Published in
Zygote
2005, volume: 13, number: 3, pages: 207-218
Publisher: CAMBRIDGE UNIV PRESS
SLU Authors
Frendin, Jan
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
Rodriguez, Heriberto
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
UKÄ Subject classification
Animal and Dairy Science
Veterinary Science
Publication identifier
- DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/S0967199405003266
Permanent link to this page (URI)
https://res.slu.se/id/publ/6267