Connection between seminiferous tubules and epididymal duct is originally induced before sex differentiation in a sex-independent manner.

BACKGROUND

Spermatozoa in mammals develop in seminiferous tubules in a testis and are transported through the male reproductive tract. Their developmental origins are, however, different from each other; the seminiferous tubules are testicular (gonadal) structure but the subsequent ducts stem from the mesonephros. Although some mechanisms should function for the connection between these ducts, there are few reports on them. In the present study, basic information such as timing, localization, and cell types involved in the connection was obtained by sequential immunohistochemistry.

RESULTS

At the time when the undifferentiated gonad differentiates into the testis or ovary, Adrenal-4 binding protein/steroidogenic factor-1 (Ad4BP/SF-1)-positive gonadal cells were noted in the mesonephric tubules (MT) in both sexes. At an earlier stage, although Ad4BP/SF-1-positive coelomic epithelial cells were adjacent to the MT, a basal membrane around them was not observed.

CONCLUSIONS

The connection between the testis cords and MT is suggested to be induced between Ad4BP/SF-1-positive gonadal cells and the MT before sex differentiation in a sex-independent manner.