Histological effects of androgen deprivation on the adult chimpanzee epididymis

Primate sperm acquire functional maturity, including vigorous forward motil ity and the ability to fertilize an ovum, as they transit the unique, regio nal microenvironment of the epididymal lumen. Several proteins secreted int o this luminal fluid are epididymal-specific and androgen-dependent, and th us contribute potentially to sperm maturation. For the adult male chimpanze e, we report the effects of GnRH antagonist-induced androgen deprivation on the histology of the epithelia and interstitium composing the ductuli effe rentes, ductus epididymis, proximal ductus (vas) deferens. After 21 days of androgen deprivation, epididymal tissues exhibit characteristic atrophic c hanges, including cellular disorganization, degradation, and loss of struct ures. Androgen-deprived cytoplasm is differentially and characteristically disrupted, vacuolated, and reduced in volume, resulting in decreased epithe lial height and loss of stereocilia. Most principal cell nuclei appear hype rchromatic, smaller in size, more irregular in outline, and disordered in a rrangement, while others appear swollen and vacuolated. Apical cells of the efferent ducts and the basal cells and microvillar borders of the ductus e pididymis seem minimally affected by androgen deprivation. Such histologica lly differential responses suggest correspondingly that androgen is differe ntially essential to the maintenance of the epididymis and thus to normal f unctioning of the component tissues. Therefore, epididymal epithelia direct ly and their secretions indirectly are differentially androgen-dependent. ( C) 2001 Harcourt Publishers Ltd.