Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: UNIPROT:P56851 (epididymal)
 11,273 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

beta-N-acetylglucosaminidase (NAG) activity in human epididymal fluid was separated into two forms (I and II) after HPLC-hydrophobic interaction chromatography. Both forms exhibited maximal activity at a pH of around 4.5 and had a molecular weight of 125 kD when determined by Superose-HPLC. After incubation at 50 degrees C, form I retained only 30% of its activity while form II retained 90% activity. When analysed by non-denaturing electrophoresis, form I displayed higher electrophoretic mobility than did form II. These features indicate that the I and II isoforms found in the human epididymis are the A and B forms present in other tissues. NAG activity was measured in the fluid obtained form the different epididymal regions of 13 different samples. An average four-fold increase in activity between the proximal caput and distal corpus was found. The contribution of each isoform to the total activity was studied. The proximal caput found to be rich in the A isoform (59%), whereas the B form was predominant in the distal corpus (65%). Human spermatozoa contain membrane-associated NAG activity with an isoform distribution similar to that found in cauda epididymal fluid (CEP, 80% B). Finally, enzyme activity in CEP was two-fold greater than in seminal plasma. Taken together these results suggest that NAG may become associated with human spermatozoa during epididymal transit.
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PMID:Characterization of beta-N-acetylglucosaminidase from human epididymis. 856 97

For artificial insemination (AI) in cattle, much lower insemination doses can be applied when fresh semen is used instead of frozen-thawed semen. However, a particular disadvantage of fresh semen is its limited shelf life. As bovine spermatozoa can be stored for several weeks in the cauda epididymis without negative effects on their fertilizing capacity, it is an interesting organ to serve as a model in order to prolong the shelf life of fresh semen. First, the storage capacity of a diluent [cauda epididymal plasma (CEP-1)] with the same ionic composition, pH and osmolarity as the bovine CEP was compared with a Tris diluent for extended preservation of fresh ejaculated bovine semen. Secondly, the ionic composition of the CEP-1 diluent was modified (CEP-2) and its storage capacity was compared with this of the CEP-1 and Tris diluent. Finally, the effect of addition of different polyols (sorbitol, glycerol, mannitol) and egg yolk concentrations (5, 10 and 20%) to the CEP-2 diluent was assessed. Sperm quality decreased rapidly in the CEP-1 diluent. The quality and especially progressive motility of spermatozoa stored in the CEP-2 diluent were better those in the CEP-1 and Tris diluent. No significant effects of different sugars or egg yolk concentrations on the quality of fresh bovine semen in the CEP-2 diluent were observed. In conclusion, the CEP-2 diluent with 10% egg yolk and 1 g/l sorbitol may be used for extended preservation of fresh bovine semen at 5 degrees C up to 6 days.
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PMID:Storage of fresh bovine semen in a diluent based on the ionic composition of cauda epididymal plasma. 1559 30

In New Zealand, 95% of the semen used for artificial insemination in cattle is processed as liquid semen. Storage of liquid semen for up to 3 days in Caprogen) diluent enables a 10-fold reduction of the insemination dose, compared to frozen-thawed semen, without a reduction in fertility. In this Caprogen) diluent spermatozoa are stored under N2 gas in the presence of catalase. However, a new diluent (CEP-2), which was originally based on the biochemical composition of bovine cauda epididymal plasma, could become an appropriate alternative to Caprogen. In this study, the effect of addition of catalase to bovine spermatozoa stored for 6 days in CEP-2 diluent under aerobic and anaerobic conditions was evaluated and compared with a Tris diluent. Additionally, the quality and in vitro fertilizing capacity of fresh bovine semen stored for 6 days at 5 degrees C in the Triladyl, CEP-2 (without catalase and N2 gas) and Caprogen diluent were compared. Addition of 4.5 mg/mL catalase to CEP-2 diluent under aerobic and anaerobic conditions had no effect on sperm quality. Spermatozoa stored in CEP-2 diluent moved faster and straighter than spermatozoa stored in Triladyl or Caprogen diluent. The in vitro fertilization and polyspermy rates did not differ significantly between spermatozoa stored for 6 days at 5 degrees C in CEP-2 and Caprogen diluent, but were significantly lower for spermatozoa stored in Triladyl diluent. We can conclude that based on the in vitro results, the CEP-2 diluent is a better diluent than Triladyl and a good alternative to the Caprogen diluent for long term storage of fresh bovine semen at 5 degrees C. To confirm these promising in vitro results further in vivo experiments are required.
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PMID:Comparison of three diluents for the storage of fresh bovine semen. 1562 7

Sperm can change physiology and structure during storage in refrigerator temperature or frozen temperature that caused by cold shock or free radical. The aim of this study to evaluate ultrastructure and fertilizing ability of Limousin bull sperm after storage in cauda epididymal plasma-based (CEP-2) extender with or without 20% egg yolk concentration at refrigerator temperature. Semen sample collected from three Limousin bull were diluted with CEP-2 with 20% egg yolk and CEP-2 without egg yolk, cooled and stored at 4-5 degrees C during eight days. Sperm ultrastructure were observed with scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Fertilizing ability of Limousin bull sperm were assessed on cleavage rate of embryo using in vitro fertilization method. The percentage data were transformed into arcsine before being analysis with ANOVA and Duncan's multiple comparison test. The result of study showed morphologically normal sperm after storage in CEP-2 with 20% egg yolk, whereas in CEP-2 without egg yolk morphologically abnormal sperm especially neck was fractured and head was destroyed. Fertilizing ability of Limousin bull sperm were significantly higher in CEP-2 extender with egg yolk 20% (74.29 +/- 4.95%; p < 0.05) than without egg yolk (30.00 +/- 12.02%; p < 0.05). Egg yolk 20% in CEP-2 extender protected ultrastructure and fertilizing ability after storage during eight days.
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PMID:Ultrastructure and fertilizing ability of Limousin bull sperm after storage in CEP-2 extender with and without egg yolk. 2419 76