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Title: ALKALINE PHOSPHATASE REACTIVITY IN THE VAGINA AND UTEROVAGINAL JUNCTION SPERM-STORAGE TUBULES OF TURKEYS IN EGG PRODUCTION: IMPLICATIONS FOR SPERM STORAGE

Author
item Bakst, Murray
item Akuffo, Valorie

Submitted to: British Poultry Science
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 2/20/2007
Publication Date: 8/1/2007
Citation: Bakst, M.R., Akuffo, V. 2007. Alkaline phosphatase reactivity in the vagina and uterovaginal junction sperm-storage tubules of turkeys in egg production: implications for sperm storage. British Poultry Science. 48:515-8.

Interpretive Summary: We are interested in elucidating the biological basis for oviductal sperm select, storage and transport in the hen's oviduct. We know little about the secretions and enzymes and other factors either secreted from or associated with the oviduct epithelium and the oviductal sperm storage sites, the sperm stroage tubules (SST). Alkaline phosphase (AP) is an enzyme found to be associated with cell membranes and is thought to be involved in cell secretion and cell differentiation and proliferation. We found that with turkey hens with a hard-shelled egg in their uterus, AP reactive cells were present on the apical cell membranse in the vaginal and SST epithelia. We suggest that such AP reactivity in hens in egg production possibly reflects cell differentiation and proliferation in the vagina and SST and lipid transfer activities in the SST. This information will provide poultry scientists with a better understanding of the role of the oviductal epithelial cells in sperm selection, storage and transport. Such information will be useful in the improvement of artifical insemination technology with poultry.

Technical Abstract: Currently there remains contradictory information on the localization and possible role of alkaline phosphatase (AP) in the chicken and Japanese quail oviducts. Using turkeys with a hard-shelled egg in their uteri, vaginal and uterovaginal junction mucosae were stretched and fixed as whole mounts prior to the histochemical localization of AP activity. Scattered AP reactive cells were observed in the vaginal and uterovaginal junction surface epithelium and intense AP reactivity of the sperm storage tubule (SST) epithelium localized to its apical border. We suggest that such AP reactivity in hens in egg production possibly reflects cell differentiation and proliferation in the vagina and SST and lipid transfer activities in the SST.