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An atlas of cell types in the mouse epididymis and vas deferens.

ABSTRACT: Following testicular spermatogenesis, mammalian sperm continue to mature in a long epithelial tube known as the epididymis, which plays key roles in remodeling sperm protein, lipid, and RNA composition. To understand the roles for the epididymis in reproductive biology, we generated a single-cell atlas of the murine epididymis and vas deferens. We recovered key epithelial cell types including principal cells, clear cells, and basal cells, along with associated support cells that include fibroblasts, smooth muscle, macrophages and other immune cells. Moreover, our data illuminate extensive regional specialization of principal cell populations across the length of the epididymis. In addition to region-specific specialization of principal cells, we find evidence for functionally specialized subpopulations of stromal cells, and, most notably, two distinct populations of clear cells. Our dataset extends on existing knowledge of epididymal biology, and provides a wealth of information on potential regulatory and signaling factors that bear future investigation.

SUBMITTER: Rinaldi VD

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7426093 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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An atlas of cell types in the mouse epididymis and vas deferens.

Rinaldi Vera D VD Donnard Elisa E Gellatly Kyle K Rasmussen Morten M Kucukural Alper A Yukselen Onur O Garber Manuel M Sharma Upasna U Rando Oliver J OJ

eLife 20200730

Following testicular spermatogenesis, mammalian sperm continue to mature in a long epithelial tube known as the epididymis, which plays key roles in remodeling sperm protein, lipid, and RNA composition. To understand the roles for the epididymis in reproductive biology, we generated a single-cell atlas of the murine epididymis and vas deferens. We recovered key epithelial cell types including principal cells, clear cells, and basal cells, along with associated support cells that include fibrobla ...[more]

PMID: 32729827

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Project description:Prejunctional nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) amplify postganglionic sympathetic neurotransmission, and there are indications that intraterminal Ca(2+) stores might be involved. However, the mechanisms by which nAChR activation stimulates neurotransmitter release at such junctions is unknown. Rapid local delivery (picospritzing) of the nAChR agonist epibatidine was combined with intracellular sharp microelectrode recording to monitor spontaneous and field-stimulation-evoked neurotransmitter release from sympathetic nerve terminals in the mouse isolated vas deferens. Locally applied epibatidine (1 µM) produced 'epibatidine-induced depolarisations' (EIDs) that were similar in shape to spontaneous excitatory junction potentials (SEJPs) and were abolished by nonselective nAChR antagonists and the purinergic desensitizing agonist ?,?-methylene ATP. The amplitude distribution of EIDs was only slightly shifted towards lower amplitudes by the selective ?7 nAChR antagonists ?-bungarotoxin and methyllcaconitine, the voltage-gated Na(+) channel blocker tetrodotoxin or by blocking voltage-gated Ca(2+) channels with Cd(2+). Lowering the extracellular Ca(2+) concentration reduced the frequency of EIDs by 69%, but more surprisingly, the Ca(2+)-induced Ca(2+) release blocker ryanodine greatly decreased the amplitude (by 41%) and the frequency of EIDs by 36%. Ryanodine had no effect on electrically-evoked neurotransmitter release, paired-pulse facilitation, SEJP frequency, SEJP amplitude or SEJP amplitude distribution. These results show that activation of non-?7 nAChRs on sympathetic postganglionic nerve terminals induces high-amplitude junctional potentials that are argued to represent multipacketed neurotransmitter release synchronized by intraterminal Ca(2+)-induced Ca(2+) release, triggered by Ca(2+) influx directly through the nAChR. This nAChR-induced neurotransmitter release can be targeted pharmacologically without affecting spontaneous or electrically-evoked neurotransmitter release.

Dataset Information

An atlas of cell types in the mouse epididymis and vas deferens.

Publications

An atlas of cell types in the mouse epididymis and vas deferens.

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