Lectin affinity of the seminiferous epithelium in healthy and cryptorchid post-pubertal boars

The present study describes the sugar content of the seminiferous epitheliu m, using lectin histochemistry, in healthy boars and in boars with unilater al and bilateral abdominal cryptorchidism. In healthy boars the apical cyto plasm of Sertoli cells exhibited abundant glucosyl (Con A and WGA lectins), galactosyl (HPA, DBA, SEA and PNA lectins), and fucosyl (AAA lectin) resid ues. Spermatogonia and spermatocytes contained abundant glucosyl (Con A and WGA lectins) and fucosyl (AAA lectin) residues. In spermatids, galactosyl (SBA and PNA lectins) and glucosyl (Con A and WGA lectins) residues increas ed progressively throughout spermiogenesis, and fucosyl (AAA lectin) residu es decreased. As compared with healthy boars, the scrotal testis of unilate ral cryptorchid boars showed decreased amounts of fucosyl (AAA lectin) and galactosyl (HPA and DBA lectins) residues on the Sertoli cell apical cytopl asm; spermatocytes exhibited higher content of glucosyl (Con A lectin) resi dues and spermatids showed altered nature of glucosyl (Con A and WGA lectin s) and galactosyl (SBA and PNA lectins) complexes. In abdominal testes of u nilateral and bilateral cryptorchid boars, immature Sertoli cells and sperm atogonia showed decreased fucosyl (AAA lectin), and increased glucosyl (Con A and WGA lectins) and galactosyl (SBA and PNA lectins) contents. These re sults suggest that the seminiferous epithelium of healthy boars has polariz ed activity with the apical compartment implicated in germ cell-Sertoli cel l adhesion and interaction, in transport of ions, substrates and fluids, an d in acrosomal differentiation. In scrotal testes, unilateral abdominal cry ptorchidism could lead to defective germ. cell-Sertoli cell adhesion, impai red acrosomal diffrentiation and increased ionic transport in the apical co mpartment of the seminiferous epithelium. Unilateral and bilateral cryptorc hidism could induce increased ionic transport and membrane permeability in the seminiferous epithelium of abdominal testes.