ABSTRACT
Objective Based on the techniques of continual tissue slices, the human epididymis was rebuilt for understanding the anatomical and histological features of the epididymal ducts. Methods Continuous tissue slices of one human epididymis were performed and digital slice images were obtained through scanning with Leica-Aperio AT2; the pipe wall of epididymal duct was aligned in sequence with Photoshop CC 2018 software and VGStudio MAX V3.0 software was used for three-dimensional synthesis. Finally, the later modification was carried out with Materialise Magics V22.0 software. Another human epididymis was used for electron microscopy. The histological features of epididymal ducts were analysed by combining slices and three-dimensional reconstruction. Results A total of 4331 and 543 slices in transverse and sagittal section respectively were prepared with a thickness of 7 |ira. According to the three-dimensional structure, regional distribution of human epididymal duct could be found obviously and the caput, corpus and cauda of epididymis could be clearly divided into 7, 9 and 4 subregions respectively. There were tissue intervals among adjacent subregions and epididymal ducts were disordered within each subregion, but differences were existed in tubular diameter and epithelial structure, and adjacent subregions were connected by single epididymal duct in the corpus and cauda. Conclusion The human epididymal duct can be successfully reconstructed by continual tissue slices technique. The human epididymal duct has regional distribution in space obviously and there are differences between different subregions.
ABSTRACT
<p><b>Objective</b>To search for potential therapeutic targets for epididymal obstructive azoospermia (EOA) secondary to epididymal infection by observing the pathologic features and analyzing the possible pathophysiologic mechanisms of the disease.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Eleven 28－53 years old infertile men with the history of epididymal infection were enrolled in this study, all diagnosed with azoospermia by routine semen examination and centrifugation. EOA was confirmed by further examinations of reproductive hormones and seminal plasma biochemical markers and scrotal ultrasonography, followed by surgical exploration and observation of the pathological characteristics of the epididymis.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The gross epididymal specimen showed fluid accumulation in the epididymal tube to be the main pathologic feature. Under the microscope, the epididymal duct lumen was structurally intact but distended and with no sperm. Most of the cases revealed no inflammatory cell invasion in the wall of the duct. A small number of the patients with a longer course of disease exhibited cell infiltration in the lumen, hyperblastosis and glassy degeneration of the interstitial fibers, and scattered infiltration of lymphocytes and acidocytes in addition to expansion of the epididymal duct.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>EOA secondary to epididymal infection is pathologically characterized mainly by fluid accumulation in the epididymal duct, and its pathogenesis remains to be further studied.</p>
ABSTRACT
By using electron microscopy histochemical method, light microscopy histochemical method and microspectrophoto meter, we studied the ACP activity of the principal cell of epididymal duct in the postnatal 10-90 days rats. The results revealed that ACP activity increased with the increase days. We also observed the following phenomena: in the postnatal 10 days rats the ACP activity was only localized on GERL and vesicles around GERL; by in the postnatal 19 days rats, the ACP activity was localized on lysosome; and 35 days later, the ACP was also localized on the saccules on the forming face of Golgi complex. The significance of the above changes in ACP activity of the principal cell of epididymal duct in postnatal rats was discussed in this paper.