Noda Taichi, Ikawa Masahito
Research Institute for Microbial Diseases Osaka University Suita Japan.
Institute of Medical Science The University of Tokyo Minato-ku Japan.
Reprod Med Biol. 2019 Jun 17;18(3):241-246. doi: 10.1002/rmb2.12282. eCollection 2019 Jul.
A mixture of spermatozoa and accessory gland secretions (from seminal vesicles, prostates, and coagulating glands) is ejaculated into the female reproductive tract at copulation. However, the physiological function of accessory glands on male fecundity remains unclear.
Publications regarding the physiological functions of male accessory glands were summarized.
The functions of accessory glands have been studied using male rodents surgically removed coagulating glands (CG), prostates (PR), or seminal vesicles (SV). CG-removed males are fertile or subfertile, while the fecundity of PR-removed males is controversial. SV-removed males show copulatory plug defects, leading to fewer sperm in the uterus and severe subfertility. TGM4, SVS2, and PATE4 were identified as essential factors for copulatory plug formation. When the sufficient number of epididymal spermatozoa was artificially injected into a uterus (AI method), they could efficiently fertilize oocytes, implicating that accessory gland secretions are not essential. Seminal vesicle secretions (SVSs) improved fertilization rates only when low numbers of spermatozoa were used for AI. The changes of uterine environment by SVSs could not improve the pregnancy rate.
Accessory gland factors are critical for copulatory plug formation and support sperm fertilizing ability.
交配时，精子与附属腺分泌物（来自精囊、前列腺和凝固腺）的混合物被射入雌性生殖道。然而，附属腺对雄性生育力的生理功能仍不清楚。
总结了关于雄性附属腺生理功能的出版物。
已使用手术切除凝固腺（CG）、前列腺（PR）或精囊（SV）的雄性啮齿动物研究了附属腺的功能。切除CG的雄性具有生育能力或生育力低下，而切除PR的雄性的生育力存在争议。切除SV的雄性表现出交配栓缺陷，导致子宫内精子数量减少和严重的生育力低下。TGM4、SVS2和PATE4被确定为交配栓形成的关键因素。当将足够数量的附睾精子人工注入子宫（AI方法）时，它们可以有效地使卵母细胞受精，这意味着附属腺分泌物并非必不可少。仅当用于AI的精子数量较少时，精囊分泌物（SVSs）才会提高受精率。SVSs引起的子宫环境变化并不能提高妊娠率。
附属腺因子对交配栓形成和支持精子受精能力至关重要。
