Summary
ACPase and TPPase activity has been examined in the germinal epithelium of the testes in the domestic fowl. ACPase activity in spermatogonia and spermatocytes was confined to the Golgi complex. In spermatids ACPase activity was seen in the endoplasmic reticulum and nuclear envelope in the phase I and especially in the phase II (the elongating phase). This activity gradually decreased during the next phase III, and had disappeared in the final phase IV. The membrane body showed ACPase reaction in the small peripheral vacuoles and cisternal structures surrounding large central vacuoles. ACPase was also present in vesicles surrounding the developing tail. Late spermatids showed an abundance of autophagic vacuoles which had a complex array of ACPase positive delimiting membranes. In Sertoli cells ACPase activity was predominant in the lysosomes. TPPase activity was seen in the cisternae of the Golgi complex in spermatogonia and spermatocytes. In spermatids activity was present in the endoplasmic reticulum during the phase II, but it is lost in later stages. The smaller vacuoles and cisternal structures in the membrane body also showed reaction products. According to the present results it is thought likely that the smaller vacuoles and cisternal structures of the membrane body are of endoplasmic reticulum origin. The autophagic vacuoles in spermatids and the lysosomes of Sertoli cells are considered responsible for the degradation of residual bodies cast off by spermatids.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Aire TA, Ikegwuonu FI (1976) The development of phosphomonoesterases in the testes of prepuberal chicks. Biochim Biophys Acta 451:530–535
Allison AC, Hartree EF (1970) Lysosomal enzymes in the acrosome and their possible role in fertilization. J. Reprod Fert 21:501–515
Bainton DF, Farquhar NG (1970) Segregation and packaging of granule enzymes in eosinophilic leukocytes. J Cell Biol 45:54–73
Buongiorno-Nardelli M, Bertolini B (1967) Subcellular localization of some acid hydrolases in Triturus cristatus spermatozoa. Histochemie 8:34–44
Chang JP, Yokoyama M, Brinkley BR, Mayahara H (1974) Electron microscopic cytochemical study of phosphatases during spermiogenesis in Chinese hamster. Biol Reprod 11:601–610
De Duve C (1964) From cytases to lysosomes. Fed Proc 23 Pt II:1045–1049
Dietert SE (1964) Fine structure of the formation and fate of the residual bodies of mouse spermatozoa with evidence for the participation of lysosomes. J Morphol 120:317–346
Gomori G (1952) Microscopic histochemistry: Principle and practice. University of Chicago Press, Chicago
Gunawardana VK, Scott MGAD (1977) Ultrastructural studies on the differentiation of spermatids in the domestic fowl. J Anat 124:741–755
Harris JR (1978) The biochemistry and ultrastructure of nuclear envelope. Biochim Biophys Acta 515:55–104
Holtzman E (1976) Lysosomes: A survey. Cell biology monographs, Vol 3. Springer, Berlin Heidelberg New York, pp 27–99
Hugon J, Borgers M (1966) Ultrastructural and cytochemical changes in spermatogonia and Sertoli cells of whole-body irradiated mice. Anat Rec 155:15–32
Lake PE (1963) Histochemical demonstration of phosphomonoesterase secretion in the genital tract of the domestic cock. J Reprod Fert 3:356–362
Meek GA, Bradbury S (1963) Localization of thiamine pyrophosphatase activity in the Golgi apparatus of a mollusc, Helix aspersa. J Cell Biol 18:73–85
McIntosh JR, Porter KR (1967) Microtubules in the spermatids of the domestic fowl. J Cell Biol 35:153–175
Mizutani A (1969) Lead affinity of nuclear pores — possible existence of lipid-like substance. Acta Histochem Cytochem 2:131–145
Novikoff AB (1961) Observations on the Golgi apparatus and related lysosomes. Biol Bull 121:369
Novikoff AB, Goldfischer S (1961) Nucleoside diphosphatase activity in the Golgi apparatus and its usefulness for cytological studies. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 47:802–810
Posalaki Z, Szabo D, Bacsi E, Okros I (1968) Hydrolytic enzymes during spermatogenesis in the rat. An electron microscopic and histochemical study. J Histochem Cytochem 16:249–262
Spurr AR (1969) A low-viscosity epoxy resin embedding medium for electron microscopy. J Ultrastruct Res 26:31–43
Tice LW, Barrnett RJ (1963) The fine structural localization of some testicular phosphatases. Anat Rec 147:43–63
Vorbrodt A (1974) Cytochemistry of nuclear enzymes. In: Bush H (ed) The cell nucleus, Vol 3. Academic Press, New York, pp 309–344
Yasuzumi G, Sugioka T, Nakai Y (1970) Spermatogenesis in animals as revealed by electron microscopy. Monitore Zool Ital (N.S.) 4:147–167
Zbarsky IB (1978) An enzyme profile of the nuclear envelope. Int Rev Cytol 54:295–360
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Gunawardana, V.K., Mayahara, H. & Ogawa, K. Ultrastructural localization of phosphatases in the testes of the domestic fowl: Acid phosphatase and thiamine pyrophosphatase. Histochemistry 74, 157–169 (1982). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00495827
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00495827