.V_.__-.. ..— a-.--—q%y*q.mmqw
THE MORPHOLOGY, msmocv AND
FUNCTION OF THE .SEMINAI. VESICLES V
IN THE ADULT MALE FROG, - , ‘ f
RAMA PIPIENS 4 . I
Thesis for the Degree of Ph. D.
MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY
PAMELA KAY McALLIST ER
1973
L I B R R Y
Michigan S Late _
U111}? "v
W
This is to certify that the
thesis entitled
The Morphology, Histology and Function of the Seminal
Vesicles in the Adult Male Frog, Rana Eigiens.
presented by
Pamela Kay McAll is ter
has been accepted towards fulfillment
of the requirements for
Ph. D. degree in Zoology
é ‘FQWW W
my
/
A
Date. I) \
0'7“.
ABSTRACT
THE MORPHQLOGY, HISTOLOGY AND FUNCTION OF THE SEMINAL VESICLES
IN THE ADULTIMALE 320G, ENE! PTPTEWS
By
Pamela Kay MmAllister
The seminal vesicles in Hana pipisns are multiple and branched
evaginations of the Wolffian ducts consisting of a layer of pseudo-
stratified columnar epithelium.surrounded by connective tissue. The
secretory products of the seminal vesicles were seen to contain neutral
mucopolysaccharides whereas acid mucopolysaccharides were absent.
Several experiments revealed that materials from the seminal
vesicles are able to prolong the fertilizable life of spermatozoa
which are stored at refrigerator temperatures. Low levels of fertility
were seen if sperm‘which have been incubated with seminal vesicle
homogenate were washed off the eggs after short periods of time. If
sperm remained on the eggs for longer periods of time, high levels of
fertility were seen. High levels of fertilizability were obtained
even if spermwwere washed off shortly after insemination if the sperm
were exposed to diffusible factors obtained from freshly ovulated eggs
before their use in fertilization. Results suggest that the seminal.
vesicles may be the source of a factor or factors which may bind to
the sperm thereby rendering them incapable of fertilizing and that
one role of the egg jellies may be to capacitate the sperm. This may
Pamela Kay McAllister
be of significance in natural fertilization in that sperm may thereby
be maintained in a fertiliaable state during the time they are stored.
in the seminal vesicles.
THE MDRPHOLOGY, HISTOLOGY AND FUNCTIGN OF THE SEMINAL VESICLES
IN THE ADULT MALE FRCG..RANH PTPTENS
l
. '\
I' 3
By ‘fidji‘l‘
0‘.
Pamela KayAMcAllister
A THESIS
Submitted to
Michigan State University
in partial fulfillment of the requirements
for the degree of
DOCTOR 0F PHILGSOPHY
Department of Zoology _
1973
“*9 mms
I would like to express my sincere appreciation to my major pro-
fessor, Dr. John R. Shaver, for his guidance and constructive criticism
during my graduate work and his help in the preparation of this
‘manuacript.
I also acknowledge and thank the members of my guidance committee,
Drs. w. R. Dukelw. H. Ozaki. and S. Aggarwsl, for their helpful
suggestions for this thesis.
ii
LIST OF TABLES I O O O O Q
LIST or was 0 C O O O 0
LIST 0F TEXT FIGURES . . .
LIST 01’ APPENDIX TABLES. .
9
OF CONTENTS
meDUCTION O O O O I O O O O I O O O
The morphology and Histology of
Vesicles in Anuran Amphibians
Functions of the Seminal Vesicles in Anuran
Effects of Hormones on the Semdnal Vesicles
AnuranAmphibians............
The Seminal Vesicles in Other Non-Hanalian
The Seminal Vesicles in.Hammals . .
the Seminal
METHODSANDMATENIALS...........
“we U.“ D O O 0
Preparation of Sperm Suspensions.
Castration of Frogs . . . . . . .
Histological Procedures . . . . .
RESULTS 0 O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O
O 0 Q
Amphib ians .
of
Vertebrates
O O O C O .
”Orphelogy and Rifltfilafly. e e e e e e e e e e e e e e 0
Effects of Seminal Vesicles on Fertilization. . . . . .
DISCUS s ION O O O O C O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O
LITEMNRE CITE O O O O O O O O O O I O O O O O O O O O O O 0
APPENDIX C O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O I O O O O 0
iii
Page
iv
vii
\1 #UN NH
\DQNN
11
ll
20
37
43
46
LIST OF TABLES
Table Page
1 Effect of castration on "seminal vesicle weights" . . . . 18
2 Cytochemical observations on the secretions of the
seminal vesicles and‘Wolffian ducts of the frog.
m pipim O O I O O Q 0 O O O O I O O O O O O I O O O O 19
iv
LIST OF PLATES
Figure I Page
1 The urogenital system of an adult male.Rhna pipiens . . . l3
2 A.representative cross section through the seminal
vesicleofanintactfrog................ l7
3 A representative cross section through the seminal
vesicle of a castrated frog . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . l7
Figure
II
III
IV
VI
VII
VIII
IX
XI
LIST OF TEXT FIGURES
Diagram-atic representation of the urogenital system
of an adult male Rana pipiens . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Experimental procedure. . . . . . . . . . . . . , . . .
Effect of seminal vesicle homogenate on the fertilizing
capacity of sperm incubated less than 12 hours. . . . .
Effect of seminal vesicle homogenate on the fertilizing
capacity of sperm incubated 24 hours. . . . . . . . . .
Effect of seminal vesicle homegenate on the fertilizing
capacity of sperm incubated 48 hours. . . . . . . . . .
Effects of brain, oviduct, and seminal vesicle homogen-
ates on the fertilizing capacity of frog sperm. . . . .
The effect of brain, oviduct, and seminal vesicle
homogenates on the fertilizing capacity of frog sperm.
Data plotted by the method of least squares . . . . . .
The effect of egg water on the fertilizability of sperm
incubated in seminal vesicle homogenate or Holtfreter's
801“: ion “ma 0 O O O O O I C O O O O C O O O C Q O O O
The effect of egg water on the fertilizability of frog
sperm incubated in seminal vesicle homogenate or in
Holtfreter's solution alone. Changes in fertilization
with increasing insemination times. . . . . . . . . . .
A comparison of the effect of seminal vesicle homogenates
from intact and castrated animals on the fertilizing
cap‘c ity 0f 1 to: 8p em . O O I O O Q 0 I O O O Q 0 O O O
A comparison of the effect of seminal vesicle homogenates
from intact and castrated animals on the fertilizing
capacity of frog sperm. Changes in fertilization with
increasing insemination times . . . . . . . . . . . . .
vi
Page
15
21
22
23
25
28
29
32
33
35
35‘
Table
LIST OF APPENDIX TABLES
Sperm incubated for less than 12 hours in Holtfreter's
solution and seminal vesicle homogenate. . . . .,. s . .
Sperm incubated for 24 hours in Holtfreter's solution
and seminal vesicle homogenate . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Sperm incubated for 48 hours in Holtfreter's solution
and seminal vesicle homogenate . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Sperm incubated for 48 hours in Holtfreter's solution,
seminal vesicle homogenate, brain homogenate and
Widucal hmgaute O O O O O O O O O 0 fl 0 l I O Q 0 O O 0
Basic statistics, regression statistics. and calcula-
tion of higher order regression coefficients for
seminal vesicle data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Effect of egg water on the fertilizability of sperm
incubated in seminal vesicle homogenate or Holtfreter's
so 1“ t ion 0 O O O O O Q 0 O O O O O O O O O C O O O O O 0
Regression statistics based on data in Appendix Table 5.
Effect of sperm treatments on subsequent embryonic
development 0 O O O O O I O O O O O O O O O O I I I O O 0
Effect of castration on the ability of seminal
vesicle homogenates to alter fertilizing capacity
at spam 0 O I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O I 0
vii
Page
46
47
49
50
51
53
55
56
58
INTRODUCTION
The morphology and Histology of the
Seminal Vesicles in.Angran.Amphibians
Although considerable attention has been directed towards under-
standing the conditions necessary for fertilization in anuran amphibians,
including the role of the oviductal secretions and egg jellies, little
information is available on the role that the male accessory glands,
the seminal vesicles, may play. The seminal vesicles are generally
described as outgrowths of the vas dbfbrens or Helffisn duct and have
been described as the site of sperm storage prior to ejaculation.
Seminal vesicles have been described in,a number of anuran species
including Discoglossus piatus (Mann, Lutwak-Msnn and Hay, 1963) , Rana
ssculsnta, Rona tsmponaria (Aron, 1926), Epic crueifbr and Rana
pipiens (Rngh, 1934 and 1939). In histological sections transverse
to the long axis the seminal vesicles of D. pictus were seen to consist
of a thick epithelial layer supported by a thin layer of connective
tissue. The epithelium consists of three types of cells: basal cells,
long columnar cells containing PAS-positive granules, and small cells
surrounding the lumen. The fluid within the seminal vesicles is hypo-
tonic and contains a high content of glycoprotein.
The seminal vesicles of.R. esculenta and R. tamporaria are
described as enlargements of the distal one-third of the Wblffian duct.
Histological sections show them lined with a simple epithelium of
mucous cells which invaginate into the connective tissue forming
2
pseudo-glands. During the breeding season the lumina within the
seminal vesicles are filled with sperm. At this time the glandular
evaginations are larger and more complex. The seminal vesicles of
H. aruoifbr and.R. pipiens are described only as enlargements of the
posterior portions of the wolffian ducts.
‘ggpctions of the Seminal Vesicles in Annran ggphibians
Although the functional significance of the seminal vesicles
in anuran amphibians is unknown, several suggestions have been made.
In.R. pipisns spermatozoa are stored in the seminal vesicles and
are expelled during amplexus. Spermatozoa removed from various portions
of the male reproductive tract have been found to be functional in
regards to fertilizing capacity (Hugh. 1939). In E. aruoifbr the
seminal vesicles are not only a storage place for spermatozoa but also
may be copulatory accessories. since in Hyla as in toads each egg is
inseminated singly and the seminal vesicles together with the muscular
cloaca supply each egg with a small amount of spermatozoa (Hugh, 1941).
In addition to their storage function the seminal vesicles may
be the source of seminal fluids which serve as a vehicle for the passage
of sperm to the outside (Mann, 1964; Mann, Lutwik-Mann and Hay, 1963).
Effects of Hormones on the Seminal Vesicles
of Anuran Amphibians
The endocrine control of wolffian duct development has been best
studied in.R. temporaria. The duct is formed independently of the
presence or absence of male or female hormones. Later. towards the end
of the larval period, frogs treated with androgen display hypertrophy
of the wolffian ducts and develop a seminal vesicle. The sensitivity
to testosterone follows a decreasing caudo-cephalic gradient (Gallien,
1955).
3
In adult R. pipiens and Bufo merieanus the Wolff ian ducts includ-
ing the seminal vesicles hypertrophy following treatment with testosterone
propionate (Puckett, 1939). Sperm release from the testes and enlarge-
ment of the Wolffian ducts and seminal vesicles has been reported in
R. pip‘tsns and H. crucifsr following treatment with pituitary gonado-
tropins (Rugh, 1939, 1941). Regression of the Wolffian ducts, including
a decrease in diameter of the ducts and a decrease in the height of the
epithelium, has been observed in R. ssculsnta following hypophysectomy
(Sluter, van 00rdt and Highorst, 1950). Transplantation of testicular
tissue into castrated male frogs has been reported to induce development
of nuptial pads and seminal vesicles (Parkes, 1960).
The Seminal Vesicles in Other Hon-Mammalian Vertebrates
Seminal vesicles have also been described in a number of other
non-mammalian vertebrates. In teleost fish seminal vesicles have been
described as fan-shaped glandular structures lined with typical secre-
tory epithelium. They are believed to produce a fluid resembling
mammalian prostatic and vesicular secretions, which may have the
function of providing nutrients for the spermatozoa or may secrete a
substance which maintains the sperm in an imobilized state (Mann,
1964). Histochemical and biochemical studies on the secretions of the
seminal vesicles of the catfish, Heteropnsustes, indicate the presence
of mucoproteins, mucopolysaccharides, proteoses, phospholipids and
native proteins (Hayyar and Sundararaj, 1970). Seminal vesicle weights
were found to decrease following treatment with an anti-androgen, I
cyproterone acetate (Sundararaj and Nayyar, 1969). Eggs were success-
fully fertilized using testis squash with or without seminal vesicles
indicating that the seminal vesicles are not essential to
4
fertilization. Thus, while the seminal vesicles are not essential,
the seminal fluids probably help in natural fertilization in that they
maintain the sperm in an inactive but viable condition (Sundararaj,
1958).
Although seminal vesicles have not been described in reptiles,
hypertrophy and secretory activity has been demonstrated in a variety
of male lizards and snakes to include the preterminal and terminal
segments of the urinary tubules, the collecting canal, and the ureter.
The femoral glands, epididymides and vase dbfbrantia are all affected
by castration. The vas deferens in castrated males of Anolis carolinensis
were reported to undergo a 63% reduction in diameter when compared to
sexually active males and a 37% reduction when compared to sexually
quiescent males. Reduction in the height of the epithelial cells
lining the was dbfbrsns was also reported (Parkes, 1960). I
Seminal vesicles have also been reported in passerine birds as
swollen portions of the vas dbfbrens and are considered to be sites
of sperm storage. The seminal vesicles are small during periods of
sexual inactivity but enlarge and become highly convoluted during the
breeding season (Mann, 1964). During the height of the breeding season
the sperm-laden seminal vesicles descend into cloacal protuberances
where the temperature is lower than body temperature. Thus the major
function of the seminal vesicles in birds as well as in fish may be to
maintain the sperm in a viable state until intromission (Parkes, 1960).
The Seminal Vesicles in Mammglg
The seminal vesicles in mammals, as in non-mammalian vertebrates
with the exception of fishes, are glandular developments of the wolffian
ducts and are dependent on androgens for the maintenance of the
5
epithelium and secretory activity. In some species the secretions of
the seminal vesicle contribute a substantial portion to the whole
ejaculate, although the secretory output of the seminal vesicles varies
considerably and in some species may contribute relatively little volume
of the total ejaculate. Seminal vesicles are totally absent in some
species such as the dog and cat.
In addition to providing the fluid medium suspending the sperm,
the male accessory glands in.mammals may be the source of sperm-
coating antigens which may have significance in fertilization. The
need for a uterine incubation period for spermatozoa (capacitation) was
first demonstrated in 1951 (Austin, 1951; Chang, 1951). It was sub-
sequently demonstrated that capacitation could be functionally reversed
(decapacitation) by a substance from the seminal plasma referred to as
decapacitation factor (Chang, 1957).
In one study utilizing immunofluoreacence a single sperm-coating
antigen was demonstrated in the human and in the rabbit which was
firmly attached to ejaculated sperm. The origin of this antigen was
the seminal vesicle (wail and Rodenberg, 1962). Subsequent studies
demonstrated the presence of several spermrcoating antigens of accessory
gland origin. Ejaculated sperm did not fluoresce when exposed to
antibodies against testicular sperm, indicating that at ejaculation
the sperm.are coated with seminal plasma antigens which block the sites
with which antibodies against testicular sperm would interact (Hunter
and Nornss, 1969; Johnson and Hunter, 1972). Two of the spermrcosting
antigens were demonstrated to be glycoproteins and to have activity
similar to that of decapacitation factor since they were able to block
fertilisation when spermwwere incubated with them.(Hunter, 1969).
6
The present investigation was begun for the purpose of elucidating
the functional significance of the seminal vesicles in male Rana
pipisns since in amphibians, as in mussels, the seminal vesicles may be
the source of sperm-coating antigens which may alter the fertilizing
capacity of the sperm. For this purpose a series of experiments were
performed in which sperm were incubated with a variety of substances,
including materials from the seminal vesicles, to determine whether they
could influence the fertilizing capacity of the sperm when they were
used to fertilize normal jellied eggs. Additionally, seminal vesicles
from castrated animals were compared to those from intact animals as to
their ability to alter the fertilizing capacity of testicular sperm.
The histology and cytochemistry of the seminal vesicles from intact
and castrated animals were also compared.
METHODS AND MATERIALS
Animals Used
Adult male and female.Rena pipiens were obtained from a commercial
dealer (Bay Biologicals, Ltd., Port Credit, Canada). The animals were
kept in hibernation until use (4-6'0.).
Breparation of Sperm.Suspensions
Male frogs were pithed and the testes and seminal vesicles were
removed. In some experiments the brains and male rudimentary oviducts
were also removed. The tissues were placed in 10% Holtfreter's solu-
tion over ice until all dissections were complete. The testes were
crushed with forceps. filtered through glass wool, and the resulting
suspension diluted with 102 Holtfreter's solution to give a concentra-
tion of about 2000 sperm/mmS. A hemocytometer was used in making the
sperm counts. Aliquots of the sperm suspension were then mixed with
equal volumes of filtered tissue homogenate or 102 Holtfreter's solution
giving a final concentration of 1000 sperm/mmP. The suspensions were
stored for varying times in the refrigerator until use in fertilization
experiments. Tissue homogenates were prepared by homogenizing in a
glass homogenizer with 102 Holtfreter's solution (lgm. tissue/10ml.
Holtfreter's).
In one set of experiments the sperm suspensions were mixed with an
equal volume of egg water prior to use. In these experiments the sperm
suspension was initially diluted to a concentration of 4000 sperm/mmé.
8
Aliquots were mixed with a 202 tissue homogenate. Egg water was pre-
pared by extruding freshly ovulated eggs into a dish and covering them
with 102 Holtfreter's solution. One hour later the Holtfreter's solu-
tion.was pipetted off and was mixed with the sperm suspensions which
had been removed from the refrigerator and allowed to come to room
temperature. This gave a final sperm.concentration of 1000 sperm/mm;
as in the other experiments. The sperm concentration was again checked
for each suspension just prior to use in fertilization experiments.
Eggs were obtained by injecting mature females with progesterone
and frog pituitaries (Wright and Plathers, 1961). Eggs were extruded
onto microscope slides and inseminated. An average of 25-50 eggs were
fertilized from each female for each time period. At varying times
after insemination the spermwwere poured off the slides and the slides
were immersed in a large volume of aerated tap water. Three to five
hours later the percentage of cleaving eggs was determined and used as
the criterion for fertilization. For statistical analysis, the
percentage of cleaving eggs was transformed by the angular transforma-
tion (0 - arc sin vi; ).
Castration of Frogs
Frogs were castrated under ether anesthesia. An incision was made
in the lateral body wall midway between the pectoral and pelvic girdles.
The testis on that side was pulled through the incision, the mesorchium
was sutured to close the testicular blood vessels and the testis removed.
The incision was sutured and the testis on the other side was then
removed by the same procedure. The frogs were kept at room temperature
until use.
9
Histological Procedures
The seminal vesicles were fixed in Smith's modification of Bouin's
fixative (Guyer, 1947), dehydrated, cleared, and embedded in paraffin.
One seminal vesicle from each animal was sectioned at 10 microns and
stained with hematoxylin and eosin for routine histological examina-
tion. The other seminal vesicle from each animal was sectioned at 5
microns and stained for carbohydrates and proteins. The periodic acid-
Schiff (PAS) procedure for neutral mucopolysaccharides was used both
‘with and without prior treatments to determine more accurately the
nature of the PAS-positive compounds. Schiff's reagent was prepared
by the method of de Tomasi (Pearse, 1970). PAS-reactive protein was
removed by incubation of sections at 37°C. for 1 hour with trypsin
(0.12 in 0.1M sodium phosphate buffer at pH 7.4). Control sections
were incubated in buffer only. A 1:1 solution of chloroform and
methanol was used to remove PAS-positive lipids. Glycogen was removed
from some sections by incubating for 1 hour at 37'C. in a 0.12 malt
diastase solution (Nutritional Biochemicals Corp.) in 0.02M sodium
phosphate buffer at pH 6.0 containing 0.652 NaCl. The specificity of
the reaction was determined by acetylation with a 2:3 mixture of acetic
anhydride and pyridine for 2 hours at 60°C. and also by placing slides
directly into Schiff's reagent without periodic acid oxidation (Pearse,
1970).
Acid mucopolysaccharides were determined by staining with alcian
blue at pH 2.5 (Barks and Anderson, 1963; Mowry, 1963).
The ninhydrineSchiff procedure was used for the detection of
protein. The specificity of the reaction was determined by omitting
the ninhydrin oxidation step and also by incubating some sections in a
10
solution of 12 acetic acid in acetic anhydride for 1 hour at 60°C
(Umpierre, 1971).
RESULTS
Moghology and His tologz
The seminal vesicles in.Rana pipisns are glandular swellings of
the posterior portions of the wolffian ducts and are enclosed in a
connective tissue sheath along with the posterior portions of the
male rudimentary oviducts. The urogenital system of an adult male
Rana pipisns is seen in Plate I, Figure l, and is illustrated diagram-
matically in Text Figure 1. The sperm after leaving the testes pass
through the vase afTbrentia and into the anterior tubules of the
kidneys. The sperm then pass into the wolffian ducts and are stored
in the seminal vesicles. During amplexus the sperm pass into the
cloaca and are emitted over the eggs (Hugh, 1939).
In transverse sections the seminal vesicles are seen to consist
of multiple and highly branched evaginations of the Welffian duct.
Surrounding the lumina of the seminal vesicles and of the wolffian
duct is a pseudo-stratified columnar epithelium. A layer of connective
tissue surrounds the epithelium (Plate II, Figure 2).
Five weeks after castration, seminal vesicles were removed from
four castrated and four sham-operated controls. Seminal vesicles
together'with the adjacent portions of the.oviducts were removed,
weighed, and fixed. 0ne seminal vesicle from each animal was sectioned
for routine histological examination and the other was stained for
carbohydrates and proteins. Five weeks after castration the height of
11
12
Figure 1. The urogenital system of an adult male Rana pipiens.
Key to Abbreviations
B - Urinary Bladder
Cl - Cloaca
FB - Fat Body
K - Kidney
0 - Oviduct
SV - Seminal Vesicle
T - Testis
WE - wolffian Duct
13
PLATE I
14
TEXT FIGURE I
Diagrammatic representation of the urogenital system of an
adult male Rana pipiens.
Key to Abbreviations
B - Urinary Bladder
C — Colon
FB - Fat Body
K - Kidney
O - Oviduct
SV - Seminal Vesicle
T - Testis '
VB - Vasa Effsrsntia
WD - wolffian Duct
15
TEXT FIGURE I
16
Figure 2. A representative cross section through the
seminal vesicle of an intact frog.
Figure 3. A representative cross section through the
seminal vesicle of a castrated frog.
Figure 2. Intact
Figure 3. Castrated
18
the epithelium of the seminal vesicles and the wolffian duct was reduced
(Plate II, Figure 3).
The weights of the seminal vesicles and adjacent portions of the
oviducts were reduced following castration (Table 1) although the dif-
ference was not significant (0.1
MMDOHM HNNH
MHZZNUOZON
A4023 >0
seconds
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nuances nounmfia
on ma GN mH 9H H on mm ON ma OH H
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ZGHHDnem
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on mm ow ma OH H
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8.
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29
TEXT FIGURE VII
The effect of brain, oviduct, and seminal vesicle homogenates on the
fertilizing capacity of frog sperm. Data plotted by the method of
least squares.
-€+-- Holtfreter's Solution
-—4|—-- Brain Homogenate
r-43-- 0viducal Homogenate
---0- - Seminal Vesicle Homogenate
so --
so A
40 w ;
,.-- / N -
30 h
20 w
10 w
III 1:) l; 2; 2; '30
time in minutes
30
before use in fertilization. As in the previous experiment, the sperm
were incubated with seminal vesicle homogenate or with Holtfreter's
solution alone for 48 hours in the refrigerator. The sperm suspensions
were divided into two aliquots and egg water added to one aliquot of
each suspension. Ten percent Holtfreter's solution was added to the
other aliquot of each suspension. The data were analyzed by three—way
analysis of variance. The data are plotted from regression lines
calculated by the method of least squares.
Results show that egg water has no effect on sperm incubated in
Holtfreter's solution alone. In both cases (sperm in Holtfreter's
solution with and without egg water added) there was no significant
increase in fertilization as a function of time and the average fertility
does not differ. Egg water did have a significant effect on sperm
incubated in seminal vesicle homogenate. As in the previous experiment,
fertility was lowwwhen seminal vesicle treated sperm which were not
incubated with egg water were allowed short periods of time to interact
with the eggs. Fertility increased when increasing time was allowed
for interaction. The overall fertility seen with seminal vesicle-
treated sperm without egg water did not differ from that seen with
Holtfreter's-treated sperm because of the low fertility of the seminal
vesicle—treated sperm at the short time periods. If seminal vesicle-
treated sperm were treated with egg water prior to insemination fer-
tility was high at all times and there was no significant increase in
fertility over time. Further, the average fertility seen when seminal
vesicle-treated sperm were incubated with egg water was significantly
higher than the fertility achieved by sperm in Holtfreter's solution
with or without egg water or with sperm in seminal vesicle homogenates
31
without egg water (Text Figure VIII and Text Figure IX based on data
in Appendix Table 6 and Appendix Table 7).
Since the differences in fertility could have been due to differu
ences in activation rather than fertilization embryos were counted in
the tailbud stage and the percentage of developing embryos was compared
with the percent fertilization. Since many embryos had the external
characteristics of the haploid syndrome, embryos were scored as normal
or abnormal. Embryos which resulted from fertilization with sperm
incubated in Holtfreter's solution alone were frequently retarded in
their development as compared to the embryos resulting from fertiliza-
tion with sperm incubated in seminal vesicle homogenate. Since these
embryos were otherwise normal in appearance they were scored as normals.
There were no significant differences either in the percent of embryos
which developed or in the percent of the developing embryos which were
abnormal in appearance (Appendix Table 8). Thus, the differences seen
in previous experiments were due to differences in the fertilizing
capacity of the sperm.
Since the materials from the seminal vesicle which influence the
fertilizing capacity of the sperm.may be dependent on androgens or other
factors from.the testes, male frogs were castrated and after five weeks
their seminal vesicles were removed, homogenized, and incubated with
sperm. Sperm'were incubated in the refrigerator for 48 hours as in the
previous experiments. Sperm.incubated with Holtfreter's solution alone
and with seminal vesicle homogenate from intact frogs were used as
controls. Eggs from only one female were used due to the small amount
of seminal vesicle homogenate available from castrated animals.
Results show that seminal vesicles from castrated and intact
animals do not differ in their ability to maintain the sperm in a
32
TEXT FIGURE VIII
The effect of egg water on the fertilizability of sperm incubated in
seminal vesicle homogenate or Holtfreter's solution alone.
50 a ‘
40 w
30 w-
e '.
20 W
10 u
“ I
no egg egg no egg egg
water water water water
HOLTFRETER'S SEMINAL VESICLE
SOLUTION HOMOGENATE
33
TEXT FIGURE IX
The effect of egg water on the fertilizability of frog sperm incu-
bated in seminal vesicle homogenate or in Holtfreter‘s solution
alone. Changes in fertilization with increasing insemination times.
—Q—- - sperm in Holtfreter's solution alone
+ - sperm in Holtfreter's solution, egg water added
—-9— - sperm in seminal vesicle homogenate
—-O— - sperm in seminal vesicle homogenate, egg water added
60
50
40
30
20 1'
10 +-
L l i
10 20 30'
time in minutes
34
fertilizable state during 48 hours of sperm storage. Sperm incubated
with seminal vesicle homogenate from.both intact and castrated animals
fertilized significantly*more eggs than sperm.incubated with Holtfreter's
solution alone (Text Figure X and Text Figure XI based on data in
Appendix Table 9).
35
TEXT FIGURE X
A comparison of the effect of seminal vesicle homogenates from intact
and castrated animals on the fertilizing capacity of frog sperm.
40 4*-
30 «b j
6
20 «L-
10 w
intact ' fl castrated
HOLTFRETER'S
SOLUTION SEMINAL VESICLE HOMOGENATE
36
TEXT FIGURE XI
A comparison of the effect of seminal vesicle homogenates from intact
and castrated animals on the fertilizing capacity of frog sperm.
Changes in fertilization with increasing insemination times.
-E— - Holtfreter's Solution
- Seminal Vesicle Homogenate - Intact
- Seminal Vesicle Homogenate - Castrated
50
40
9 30
20 1*-
10 l-
of!”
/ /
/
L l L g 5
10 15 20 25 30
time in minutes
DISCUSSION
The seminal vesicles of the male frog, Ranarpipians, were demon-
strated to be similar histologically to those described in other
species of Rana (Aron, 1926). They consist of multiple evaginations
of the wolffian ducts lined by pseudo-stratified columnar epithelium
which is surrounded by connective tissue.
Histochemical techniques which can identify general classes of
carbohydrates were used to demonstrate the nature of the materials
which are secreted by the seminal vesicles. Although the techniques
employed can demonstrate only general classes of carbohydrates, by
use of the appropriate controls differences in the chemical nature
of their constituents can be detected. The PAS reaction is used to
demonstrate carbohydrates rich in neighboring hydroxyl groups or
equivalent amino substitutions (Mowry, 1963). Greater accuracy in
identification of the reactive compounds can be obtained with controls
such as protein digestion, lipid extraction, and diastase digestion
(Barks and Anderson, 1963). Alcian blue at pH 2.5 stains carbohydrates
rich in free acidic groups although sulfate groups may also contribute
to the staining (Howry, 1963). The complex carbohydrates in the
epithelium and lumina of the seminal vesicles appear to be in the _
form of neutral mucopolysaccharides since they are PAS-positive and
diastase-resistant and stain.weakly with a protein stain. Acidic
mucopolysaccharides are absent.
37
38
Results clearly indicate that materials from.the seminal vesicles
can indeed influence the fertilizing capacity of sperm. The fertilizable
life of the sperm was prolonged when they were exposed to materials from
the seminal vesicles. In fact, sperm which are incubated in seminal
vesicle homogenate still retain some fertility after three days at
refrigerator temperatures whereas sperm.in Holtfreter's solution alone
are totally inviable at this time (data not presented).
Interestingly, after two days at refrigerator temperatures, sperm
incubated in seminal vesicle homogenate were capable of fertilizing
greater numbers of eggs than sperm incubated with brain, oviduct, or
Holtfreter's solution alone but only if allowed considerable time (25-
30 minutes) to interact with materials from the eggs or their enveloping
jelly coats. That the lag in fertilization was due to an interaction
between the sperm.and some material which diffuses-from the egg or its
jelly cost was demonstrated since pre-incubation of seminal vesicle-
treated spermuwith egg water resulted in elimination of the lag. This
interaction can be called capacitation by analogy with the phenomenon
in mammals where sperm must interact with materials from the female
reproductive tract before gaining fertilizing capacity (Austin, 1951;
Chang, 1951).
Incubation of sperm with male rudimentary oviduct results in an
almost complete loss of fertilizability. This raises the possibility
that the materials from the male oviduct may contain the some materials
as the female oviduct and in this instance the sperm may have been.
capacitated during the two day incubation period and that once capaci-
tated the sperm have a short fertilizable life. Most of the sperm
incubated with male oviduct were immotile and were probably dead. That
the male rudimentary oviduct does contain some materials similar to
39
those found in female oviducts has been demonstrated (Umpierre,
1971). If indeed the loss of fertilizability of sperm incubated in
oviduct homogenate was due to premature capacitation, it would be
fruitful to utilize male oviducts rather than female ones in an attempt
to isolate the capacitating materials since the secretions of the male
oviduct are less complex than those from the female (umpierre, 1971).
In anuran amphibians it has been established that the egg jellies
are essential in fertilization since coelomic eggs or eggs from which
the jellies have been removed are not fertilizable (Shaver and Barch,
1960; Shaver, 1966; Katagiri, 1966a and 1966b). Coelomic eggs,
however, can be fertilized by sperm which have been exposed to jellied
eggs (Shaver, 1966). The nature of the dependency on the jelly coat
for fertilization is unknown although experimental evidence indicates
that changes in the sperm are involved. The egg jellies are hetero-
geneous and may contain more than one factor which is necessary for
fertilization. Hydrated anuran eggs are not normally fertilizable but
fertility can be restored by treating hydrated eggs with materials
which diffuse from them. The "diffusible factor" which is produced
by the oviducts and retained by the jelly before hydration would under
physiological conditions presumably activate the sperm.hefore they
penetrate the jelly coats (Barbieri and Raisman, 1969). The authors
also report that de-jellied eggs could be fertilized either in the
presence of solubilized jelly or the diffusible factor.
Sperm.which have been exposed to diffusible materials from egg
jellies are also capable of fertilizing eggs whose jelly costs have
been blocked by antibodies. Eggs which have been exposed to antibodies
prepared against egg jellies are normally not fertilizable. In this
case the alteration of the sperm induced by diffusible materials from
40
uterine eggs has been called capacitation (Shivers and James, 1970;
Roberts, 1970). '
In all of these experiments the authors have been primarily
interested in elucidating the role of the egg jellies in the fertili-
zation process and have employed fertilization of eggs which are
abnormal (either lacking in jelly or with jellies blocked with anti-
bodies) in an attempt to demonstrate jelly-induced sperm alterations.
The authors have also employed sperm obtained from the testes which
may not be the same as sperm which are emitted during amplexus, since
in normal fertilization sperm must be exposed to materials from the
seminal vesicles.
The present experiments suggest that the seminal vesicles may be
the source of materials which decapacitate the sperm inasmuch as sperm
‘which have had contact with seminal vesicle materials require a long
period of interaction with eggs or diffusible materials from the eggs
if high levels of fertilization are to be achieved.
The sperm may be coated by materials from the seminal vesicles
and this coating material may then be removed during exposure of the
sperm to diffusible materials from the egg jellies. Alternatively, the
materials from the seminal vesicles may simply alter the sperm surface
without actually binding to it. The role of the seminal vesicle
materials may thus be to bind to or alter the sperm surface such that
the sperm is maintained in a fertilizable state during storage of the
sperm.in the seminal vesicle.
The seminal vesicles may not be the only source of factors which
render the sperm in a non-capacitated state (decapacitating factors)
since immunological studies in our laboratory have failed to demonstrate
any antigenically unique material in the seminal vesicles when compared
41
to other portions of the male reproductive tract. The decapacitating
factor(s) may also be present in the testis but insufficient in amount
to maintain the fertilizability of a dilute sperm suspension for a
prolonged period of time. In all previous experiments in which sperm
capacitation in anuran amphibians has been described testicular sperm
were utilized. From.these studies it appears that capacitation is a
two step phenomenon involving a small diffusible molecule which inter-
acts with the sperm before contact with the egg jelly and a non-
diffusible molecule with which the sperm interacts as it passes through
the jelly (Barbieri and Raisman, 1969; wolf and Hedrick, 197; Katagiri,
1966a and 1966b). In all of these cases capacitation occurred very
quickly. In the present experiments capacitation required 25 to 30
minutes. The difference appears to be only a matter of the time
required since in this case, as in the previous experiments, capaci-
tation could be induced by the same materials (diffusible factors from
the egg jellies). This does not imply that in natural fertilization
capacitation requires such a long period of time, since under the
artificial conditions of these experiments the sperm may have been
exposed to a much greater concentration of decapacitating factors than
would be the case in natural fertilization. Exposure of sperm in 101
Holtfreter's solution to egg jelly materials prior to use in fertiliza-
tion of normal jellied eggs has been reported to reduce the percent
of eggs fertilized by about 172 (Shivers and James, 1971). The authors
suggest that the decrease in fertility is due to premature capacitation
possibly involving an acrosomal reaction. Similarly, in the experie
ments reported here, sperm which have been incubated in Holtfreter's
solution and then exposed to egg water showed a slight decrease in
fertilizing capacity although the difference was not significant.
42
This suggests that sperm from the testis are capacitated by diffusible
materials from the eggs and that capacitation in this case occurs
rapidly. Thus the difference in capacitation between the experiments
described herein and those of other authors may be due simply to the
amount of time required and not to differences in the nature of the
changes which are occurring in the sperm. Sperm.exposed to the seminal
vesicles may have a greater amount of material bound to their surface
and thus a longer period of time may be required for its removal.
The fact that seminal vesicles from castrated and intact animals
do not differ in their ability to alter the fertilizing capacity of
the sperm.may reflect the fact that they are not dependent upon cone
tinuous stimulation by materials from the testes for their function or
may have been due to the fact that insufficient time had elapsed after
castration for the level of hormones to decline sufficiently for the
loss of function to occur.
In conclusion, the present experiments suggest that the role of
the seminal vesicles in Rana pipiens may be to maintain the sperm in
a fertilizable state during the time sperm are stored in it. Upon
release and exposure to materials from the egg jellies the sperm then
acquire fertilizing capacity. The seminal vesicles may be the source
of materials which cost or alter the sperm.aurface. The role of the
egg jellies would then be to remove the coating substance and/or
further alter the sperm so that fertilizing capacity is attained.
LITERATURE CITED
:‘illlllll
LITERATURE CITED
Aron, M. 1926. Recherches morphologiques et experimentales sur le
determinisme des caracteres sexuales males chez les Anoures.
Arch. de 3101., Paris, _3_6_:3.
Austin, C. R. 1951. Observations on the penetration of the sperm into
the mamalian egg. Aust. J. Scient. Res. B., 4:581.
Barbierri, F. D. and Raisman, J. S. 1969. Non-genetic factors involved
in the fertilization of Bufo arenarwn oocytes. Embryologia,
_1_g: 363-372.
Barks, T. and Anderson, P. J. 1963. Histochemistry, Theory, Practice
and Bibliography. Harper and Row, H.Y., pp. 65-95.
Chang, M. C. 1951. Fertilizing capacity of spermatozoa deposited
into the fallopian tubes. Nature, Lond., 168:697.
. 1957. A detrimental effect of seminal plasma on the fertiliz-
ing capacity of sperm. Nature, Lond., £72: 258.
Gallien, L. 1955. The action of sex hormones on the development of
sex in Amphibia. In: Memoirs of the Society for Endocrinology
of Vertebrates. Part I. The Comparative Physiology of Repro-
duction and the Effects of Sea: Hormones in Vertebrates.
Cambridge University Press, pp. 188-204.
Guyer, M. F. 1947. Animal Micrology. University of Chicago Press,
Chicago, p. 242.
Hunter, A. G. 1969. Differentiation of rabbit sperm antigens from
those of seminal plasma. J. Reprod. Fert., 22:413-418.
Hunter, A. G. and Homes, H. 0. 1969. Characterization and isolation
of a sperm coating antigen from rabbit seminal plasma with
capacity to block fertilization. J. Reprod. Fert., 293419-427.
Johnson, w. L. and Hunter, A. G. 1972. qunofluorescent evaluation
of male rabbit reproductive tract for sites of secretion and
absorption of seminal antigens. Biol. of Reprod., _6_:13-22.
Katagiri, C. 1966a. Fertilization of dejellied uterine toad eggs in
various experimental conditions. meryologia, 9:159-169.
. 1966b. The fertilizing capacity of frog sperm in the homolo-
gous and heterologous egg-j ellies and polyvinyl-pyrolidone (PVP) .
J. Pac. Sci. Hokkaido Univ. (Zool.), _]_._6_:77-84.
43
44
Mann, T. 1964. The Biochemistry of Semen and of the Male Reproductive
Tract. Methuen and Co., London.
and Lutwak-Mann, C. and Hay, M. F. 1963. A note on the so-
called seminal vesicles of the frog, Discoglossus pictus. Acts
Embryologia et Morph. Expt1., _6_:21-25.
Mowry, R. W. 1963. The special value of methods that color both acidic
and vicinyl hydroxyl groups in the histochemical study of mucins.
With revised directions for colloidal iron stain, the use of
alcian blue 68X and their combination with the periodic acid-
Schiff reaction. Ann. N.Y. Acad. Sci., M:402—423.
Meyer, 8. K. and Sundararaj, B. I. 1970. Seasonal reproductive
activity in the testes and seminal vesicles of the catfish,
Heteropneustes fossilis (Bloch). J. Morph., _l_3_0_:207-226.
Parkes, A. s. 1960. Marshall '8 Physiology of Reproduction. Vol. I,
Part 2. Longmans, Green and Co., Ltd., London.
Pearse, A. G. E. 1970. Histochamistry, Theoretical and Applied. 3rd
edition. J. and A. Churchill, London.
Puckett, w. 0. 1939. Some effects of crystalline sex hormones on the
reproductive structures of several anurans. Anat. Rec., _7_§_:127.
Roberts, C. R. 1971. Sperm-egg interactions in Rana pipiens. Master's
Thesis, Michigan State University.
Rugh, R. 1934. Induced ovulation and artificial fertilization in the
frog. Biol. .Bull. , 62:22.
. 1939. The reproductive processes of the male frog, Rana
pipiens. J. Exp. Zool., goal-105.
. 1941. Experimental studies on the reproductive physiology
of the male spring peeper, Hyla crucifer. Proc. Amer. Philosoph.
Shaver, J .R. 1966. Immunological studies of the jelly-coats of anuran
eggs. Am. Zoo1., 6:75-87.
and‘ Barch, S. H. 1960. Experimental studies on the role of
jelly coat material in fertilization in the frog. Acts Embryol.
Morphol. Exp., 35180-189.
Shivers, C. A. and James, J. M. 1971. Fertilization of antiserum-.-
inhibited frog eggs with "capacitated" sperm. Biol. of Reprod. ,
53229-235.
Sluter, J. W., 0ordt, G. J. van and Mighorst, J. C. A. 1950. A study
of the testis tubules, interstitial tissue and sex characters
(thump pads and Wolffian ducts) of normal and hypophysectomized
frogs (Rana esculenta). Quart. J. Micr. Sci., 19:131.
lilII-l‘lf
45
Sundararaj, B. I. 1958. The seminal vesicles and their seasonal changes
in the Indian catfish, Esteropnsustes. Copeia, 4:289-297.
and Nayyar, S. R. 1969. Effects of estrogen, 811-9055, and
cyperterone acetate on the hypersecretory activity in the seminal
vesicles of the castrate catfish, Heteropnsustes fossilis
(Bloch). J. Exp. Zool., _1_7__2_:399-408.
Umpierre, C. C. 1971. Studies on the distribution of mucopolysaccharides
in adult Rana pipiens male rudimentary oviducts after hormonal
stimulation. Doctoral Thesis, Michigan State University.
Weil, A. J. and Rodenberg, J. M. 1962. The seminal vesicles as a
source of the spermatozoa-coating antigen of seminal plasma.
Proc. Soc. Exp. Biol. Med., 122567-570.
Wolf, D. P. and Hedrick, J. L. 1971. A molecular approach to fertiliza-
tion. III. Development of a bioassay for sperm capacitation.
Develop. Biol., 32:360-376.
Wright, P. A. and Flathers, N. R. 1961. Facilitation of pituitary-
induced frog ovulation by progesterone in early fall. Proc. Soc.
Exp. Biol. Med., _1_0_§:346-347.
APPENDIX
46
Appendix Table 1. Sperm incubated for less than 12 hours in Holtfreter's
solution and seminal vesicle homogenate
Holtfreter's Solution Seminal Vesicle Homogenate
Insemination l cleaved I cleaved
time total 3 Z Fert. a total # Z Fert. e
~3- 32 1 34 51 -9- 39 1 38 7o
28 O O 23 O O
13 10
20 20
28 38
24 15
23 28
-§3- 88.5 70.18 28 100 90.00
ANOVA Table
source of
variation df SS MS F
Treatments 1 50.9232 50.9232 .2382
Times 1 1698.844 1698.844 7.9478*
Interaction 1 .6721 .6721 .0031
Error .8 1710.0004 213.75
Total 11 3460.439?
_. _. e
a: ' — -
LSD c.01 34.57 Holtfreter s 21 X30 23.32
_. _. *
t.05 - 22.2 Seminal Vesicle xl-x30 - 24.27
Test for Homogeneity of Variances szmax./s2mdn. 6.4527
e
Significant at the 52 level.
47
Appendix Table 2. Sperm incubated for 24 hours in Holtfreter's solu-
tion and seminal vesicle homogenate
Holtfreter's Solution Seminal Vesicle Homo enate
Insemination T cleaved 1 cleaved
time total 7 I Fert. a total 7 X Fert. 6
2 7
25 8.0 16.43 -§§ 24.1 29.4
3 , 23
33 9.0 17.56 31 74.2 59.47
0 4
l‘minute
1 5
-J§ 13 8 21 81 -13 34 6 36 03
29 O O 26 O 0
-—§ 29 6 32 96 -—1 29 2 32 71
27 ' ' 24 ' '
21 20
3:; 39.6 39.00 36 55.6 48.22
11 ‘25
s .21
-57 13.5 21.56 41 63.4 52.77
30 minutes
-—9 21 4 27 56 15- 51 9 46 69
28 ' ' 27 ° °
14 .11
16 24
ANOVA Table
source of
variation df SS MS F
Treatments 1 1724.8322 1724.8322 16.2663*
48
Appendix Table 2 (cont'd.)
source of
variation df SS MS F
rm: 1 1923.5342 1923.5342 18.1402'
Interaction 1 6.448 6.448 .0608
Error .29 2120.7322 106.0366
Total 23 5775.5476
' . v " ." ..
LSD t.01 16.9 Holtfreter s 21 X3° l8.9*
t.05 - 13.6 Seminal vesicle xl-x30 - 16.9*
2
Test for Homogeneity of Variances s max./s2min. . 12.37
*Significant at the 12 level.
49
Appendix Table 3. Sperm incubated for 48 hours in Holtfreter's
solution and seminal vesicle homogenate
7*
FT
Holtfreter's Solution; Seminal Vesicle Homggenate
Insemination cleaved Y cleaved
time total 3 1 Fert. 6 total 3 Z Fert. e
3 2
42 7.1 15.34 -55 8.6 16.43
1 minute
3 3
2 20
30 minutes
-8- 14 3 22 22 L7- 37 8 37 94
56 ° ' 45 ' '
ANOVA Table
source of
variation df SS MS F
Treatments 1 428.8656 428.8056 15.69*
Times 1 394.6645 394.6645 14.44*
Interaction 1 254.1385 254.1385 9.36*
Error .4 109.2881 27.322
Total 7 1186.8967
**
LSD t.01 - 24.07 Seminal Vesicle x1-x30 - 25.32
t.05 - 14.51
Test for Homogeneity of variances szmax./s2min. - 29.2737
r 1' vvv fl W
*Significant at the 52 level.
**Significant at the 12 level.
Appendix Table 4.
50
Sperm incubated for 48 hours in Holtfreter's solu-
tion, seminal vesicle homogenate, brain homogenate
and oviducal homogenate
Holtfreter's Seminal Vesicle Brain 0viducal
Solution* Homogenate Homogenate Homogenate
Time ‘ a e O 6
1 min. 39.03110.4 28.031826 20.78;I-_18.63 2.86:7.0
10 min. 23.43:19.l 25.07:l4.9 29.65115.5 9.30:1l.0
15 min. 28.40:l7.3 26.10:il.2 33.60:l0.6 15.50118.8
20 min. 40.47:?2.2 45.12113.7 45.67116.6 13.37120.9
25 min. 28.3817.7 50.671§.l 37.58115.l 20.22:7.9
30 min. 42.8&t§.8 Sl.8818.4 37.141ll.‘ 10.32:12.l
ANOVA Table
source of
variation df SS HS P
Treatments 3 15526.8665 5175.6221 26.559l**
Times 5 4677.7593 935.5518 4.8008**
Interaction 15 4306.126? 287.0751 l.4731***
Error {120 23384.5467 194.8712
Total 143 47895.2994
*
Each value is an average of six replicates and represents the average
of eggs fertilized for
of the arc sin equivalents of the percentages
each replicate j; the standard deviation.
**
Significant at the 12 level.
*
*
*Significant at the 52 level.
Appendix Table 5.
51
Basic statistics, regression statistics. and calcu-
lation of higher order regression coefficients for
seminal vesicle data
sperm incubated for 48 hours in:_
Holtfreter's 'rSeminal Vesicle Brain Oviducalj
Solution Homogenate Homogenate Homogenate
Basic statistics
22 1215.51 1362.14 1286.36 429.93
222 49836.6699 59957.5872 53686.3662 12645.6748
zrzln 42957.3237 56389.5142 46985.6748 6189.4626
n 36 36 36 36
a 6 6 6 6
znx 606 666 666 666
m:2 13566 13566 13566 13566
zxczr) 21623.65 26373.35 22787.1 8479.5
Regression statistic;
2x2 3365.6 3365.6 3365.6 3365.6
21y 562.565 3443.9934 1133.3734 1242.345
33 gtpt 1916.6415 4849.9204** . 1626.5735 1655.6236
ss lin. 95.7577 3588.8322* 388.6642 466.9957
regress.
ss dev. 1826.8838 315,272. 631.9693 588.6279
regress.
38 within 6878.6862 118.9357 6695.2914 5855.8635
by.‘ 6.1762 1.642 6.3429 0.3758
7 33.76 37.84 35.73 11.94
i 16.83 16.83 16.83 16.83
I inter. 36.8991 26.297 29.9661 5.6166
52
Appendix Table 5 (cont'd.)
sperm incubated for 48 hours inzl. _#
HoltfreterTs' Seminal Vesicle Brain 0viducal
Solution Homogenate Homogenate Homogenate
Y—'
Calculation of higher order regression coefficients
for seminal vesicle data. Data were coded for
analysis. Regression coefficients only have been
decoded.
x2 - 5.5084 xzy - 196.3861 88 86v. - 186.4264
2 2 3 regress.
(x ) - 57.6751 x y - 585.3866
3 2 * 88 within - 3568.073
(x ) - 545.3462 SS grps - 4849.9204
2 2 inter. - 32.8387
xx - 17.1692 ss lin. - 3931.9776**
3 regress. b ‘ - -4.2469
xx - 49.5461 7'
2 3 ss quad. - 113.6699 b x2 - 6.3857
x x - 174.9045 regress. y.
b 3 - -6.6674
xy - 57.411 83 cubic - 624.4465* "‘
regress.
a
*
Significant at the 52 level.
**Significant at the 11 level.
Appendix Table 6.
53
Effect of egg water on the fertilizebility of sperm
incubated in seminal vesicle homogenate or
Holtfreter's solution
Holtfreter's Seminal Vesicle
Holtfreter's Solution + Seminal.Vesicle Homogenate +
Solution Egg water Homogenate Egg Water
Time 8 8 8 8
l min. 44.28113.9 31.09:l$.1 33.14j§.7 40.48112.0
10 min. 40.68112.9 34.61:18.8 34.71110.5 43.7117.6
15 min. 43.04:§.6 42.97:8.4 35.05:l3.0 48.5514.6
20 min. 42.28:l4.2 39.62:ll.4 51.00:].2 52.0316.3
25 min. 49.79:9.6 37.73116.8 46.24102.5 52.01:;0.0
30 min. 40.68:9.8 49.56314.8 53.8319.3 55.05110.9
ANOVA Table
source of
variation df SS HS F
Treatments
'
(3°1‘f““‘ ° 1 688.4939 688.4939 5.3126*
or seminal
vesicles)
Times 5 3150.3374 630.0674 4.86l8**
Egg water
(present or 1 23.4498 23.4498 0.1809
absent)
Times vs 5 701.6723 140.3344 1.0828
Treatments
Treatments vs 1 1090.2653 1090.2653 8.4128***
Egg Water
54
Appendix Table 6 (cont'd.)
source of
variation df SS HS F
Times vs 5 629.1357 125.8271 0.9709
Egg Water
Times vs Treat-
ments vs Egg 5 946 .974
Water
Error $3.; 15681 . 0315
Total 143
Bartlett's Test for Homogeneity of Variances
189 . 3948 1 . 4614
129. 5953
x2 - 23.6297 0.5