Key result
Unilateral severing of ductuli efferentia testis in immature rats showed that epididymal ACE on the operated side increased to near contralateral levels, suggesting the epididymis synthesizes ACE.
Why the study?
It was unclear whether the epididymis synthesizes angiotensin-converting enzyme independently of the testis.
Answers are grounded in this paper and cite their sources.
The study demonstrates that the rat epididymis can synthesize angiotensin-converting enzyme independently of the testis.
Summary: Unilateral ductuli efferentia testis of immature rat were severed in order to interrupt the continuity between testis and epididymis and angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) activities were measured 5 weeks after the operation. The epididymal ACE on the operated side increased to nearly the same level as that on the contralateral side, but the testicular ACE activity on the operated side was markedly lower than that on the contralateral side. On immunofluorescent study using antiserum against purified rat lung ACE, ACE could be found in the tubular epithelial cells of the operated epididymis. These results suggest that epididymis itself synthesize ACE without connection to testis. Zusammenfassung: Die Ductuli efferentes in den Hoden von nicht geschlechtsreifen Ratten wurden einseitig durchtrennt, um die Verbindung zwischen Hoden und Nebenhoden zu unterbrechen. 5 Wochen postoperativ wurde die Aktivität des Angiotensin-converting-Enzyms (ACE) gemessen. Das ACE im Nebenhoden der operierten Seite stieg annähernd auf das Niveau der kontralateralen Seite, jedoch war die ACE-Aktivität im Hoden der operierten Seite bedeutend niedriger als auf der kontralateralen Seite. Immunfluores-zenzuntersuchungen mit Antiserum gegen gereinigtes ACE aus Rattenlungen ergab einen Nachweis von ACE in Tubulusepithelzellen des operierten Nebenhodens. Diese Ergebnisse legen nahe, daß der Nebenhoden selbst ohne Verbindung zum Hoden ACE synthetisiert.
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Seike et al. (2009) studied this question. Unilateral severing of ductuli efferentia testis vs. Contralateral side (unoperated) was evaluated on Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) activities. Unilateral severing of ductuli efferentia testis in immature rats showed that epididymal ACE on the operated side increased to near contralateral levels, suggesting the epididymis synthesizes ACE.
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