The lysosomal protective protein/cathepsin A (PPCA) forms a multi-enzyme complex with beta-galactosidase and alpha-neuraminidase. Histological examination of the testis and epididymis of PPCA-/- mice from 2--10 months of age revealed cell- and region-specific abnormalities compared to their wild type counterparts. The testis showed a significant decrease in the diameter of seminiferous tubules, a significant increase in the size and number of interstitial space macrophages that became filled with pale lysosomes, and Leydig cells that showed an accumulation of pale lysosomes. The epithelial cells of the caput and corpus regions of the epididymis were highly vacuolated, containing numerous pale lysosomes, with some cells appearing to undergo degeneration. Halo cells of the entire epididymal epithelium were also highly engorged with pale lysosomes, and in the intertubular space large vacuolated macrophages were prominent. Taken together, the adverse effects on the testis and epididymis suggest that sperm in the lumen may be reduced in numbers and not acquire their full maturational state, accounting for reduced pregnancies noted in PPCA-/- mice.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:LACETR/oai:collectionscanada.gc.ca:QMM.78397 |
| Date | January 2002 |
| Creators | Korah, Nadine |
| Contributors | Hermo, Louis (advisor) |
| Publisher | McGill University |
| Source Sets | Library and Archives Canada ETDs Repository / Centre d'archives des thèses électroniques de Bibliothèque et Archives Canada |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Electronic Thesis or Dissertation |
| Format | application/pdf |
| Coverage | Master of Science (Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology.) |
| Rights | All items in eScholarship@McGill are protected by copyright with all rights reserved unless otherwise indicated. |
| Relation | alephsysno: 001975878, proquestno: AAIMQ88232, Theses scanned by UMI/ProQuest. |
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