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This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) All Versions of this Article: 73/4/688    most recent biolreprod.105.041079v1 Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Knee, R. A. Articles by Jones, R. C. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Knee, R. A. Articles by Jones, R. C. Agricola Articles by Knee, R. A. Articles by Jones, R. C.

Transport of IgG across the Blood-Luminal Barrier of the Male Reproductive Tract of the Rat and the Effect of Estradiol Administration on Reabsorption of Fluid and IgG by the Epididymal Ducts¹

Discipline of Biological Sciences,³ Faculty of Science and Information Technology, Discipline of Immunology and Microbiology,⁴ Faculty of Health, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, New South Wales, Australia 2308

In rats immunized systemically with tetanus toxoid the concentration of specific anti-tetanus-toxoid-specific IgG in fluid from the rete testis and cauda epididymidis were respectively 0.6% and 1.4% the concentration in blood serum. The extratesticular duct system reabsorbed 97% of the IgG and 99% of the fluid leaving the rete, but estradiol administration affected the site of reabsorption. In untreated rats, the ductuli efferentes reabsorbed 94% of the IgG and 96% of the fluid leaving the rete, whereas estradiol-treated rats reabsorbed 83% of the IgG and 86% of the fluid, and the ductus epididymidis fully compensated for these different effects of estradiol on the ductuli efferentes. The concentrations of IgG in secretions of the seminal vesicles and prostate gland were lower (0.1% and 0.3% respectively of the titers in blood serum) than in fluids from the extratesticular ducts, and were not affected by the administration of estradiol. RT-PCR showed that Fcgrt (neonatal Fc receptor, also known as FcRn) is expressed in the reproductive ducts, where IgG is probably transported across epithelium, being particularly strong in the ductuli efferentes (where most IgG was reabsorbed) and distal caput epididymidis. It is concluded that IgG enters the rete testis and is concentrated only 2.5-fold along the extratesticular duct system, unlike spermatozoa, which are concentrated 95-fold. Further, the ductus epididymidis can recognize and compensate for changes in function of the ductuli efferentes.

ductuli efferentes, epididymis, estradiol, immunology, male reproductive tract, Wolffian duct

² Correspondence. FAX: 61 2 4921 6923; Russell.Jones{at}newcastle.edu.au