Surfactant protein A and D in the reproductive tract of stallion.

The presence of surface-active material in the lung alveolus has been known for several decades as being essential for normal lung function. The host defense and controlling inflammatory processes of the lung are the major functions of SP-A and SP-D. SP-A and SP-D were originally demonstrated in alveolar type II cells, but recent studies have shown extrapulmonary expression of SP-A and SP-D indicating systemic roles of these proteins. Present study describes the presence of SP-A and SP-D in the stallion genital tract, prepuce, prostate, testis, and seminal vesicle using Western blotting and immunohistochemistry. This paper presents the first evidence for the existence of SP-A and SP-D glycoproteins in the stallion genital tract. We examined genital system organs and tissues from stallion and were able to show that surfactant protein A and D reactive with surfactant-specific antibodies were present in the stallion genital tract tissues and organs. On the basis of results, it can be postulated that surfactant proteins in the stallion reproductive tract contribute to the immune surveillance and to active barrier defense mechanism.