Spermathecae: Morphofunctional features and correlation with fat bodies and trachea in six species of vectors of Chagas disease

Autor(es)

Nascimento, Juliana Damieli ^[1] ; Caneguim, Breno Henrique ^[2] ; de Paula, Mariana Campos ^[3] ; Ribeiro, Aline Rimoldi ^[1] ; Sasso-Cerri, Estela ^[4] ; da Rosa, Joao Aristeu ^[5]

Afiliação do(s) autor(es)

^[1] Univ Estadual Campinas, UNICAMP, Dept Anim Biol Parasitol, Biol Inst, Campinas, SP - Brazil

^[2] Univ Fed Sao Paulo, Dept Morphol & Genet, Sao Paulo, SP - Brazil

^[3] Univ Araraquara, Araraquara, SP - Brazil

^[4] Sao Paulo State Univ, UNESP, Dent Sch, Dept Morphol, Araraquara, SP - Brazil

^[5] Sao Paulo State Univ, UNESP, Sch Pharmaceut Sci, Araraquara, SP - Brazil

• Tipo de documento: Artigo Científico
• Fonte: Acta Tropica; v. 197, SEP 2019.
• Citações Web of Science: 0

Resumo

Since spermatheca is able to transport spermatozoa and maintain a specific microenvironment for the storage of viable sperm cells for long periods of time, specific morphofunctional features must be involved in this capacity, and an efficient nutritional and oxygen supply must be required. In this study, we investigated the histological features of spermathecae and fat bodies in six species of three genera of epidemiological importance for Chagas' disease. The association of the reproductive system with the fat bodies and tracheal system was also focused in these species. The reproductive system, tracheae and fat bodies were fixed in 4% formaldehyde, and embedded in glycol methacrylate. The sections were stained with H.E., picrosirius red and Periodic-Acid Schiff methods for morphological analyses. Paraffin-embedded spermatheca sections were submitted to immunofluorescence for detection of V-ATPase. In P. lignarius, R. montenegrensis and R. prolixus, the spermatheca contains a slightly dilated tubular distal portion. In P. megistus and T. tibiamaculata, the spermatheca shows a large bulbous distal portion, and in T. infestans, a large oval-shaped distal portion. In all species, this portion was surrounded by a thin muscular layer, and the epithelial height varied according to the shape of this terminal portion. All spermathecal proximal portions showed simple columnar epithelium surrounded by a thick muscular layer. The epithelial cells of spermathecae showed PAS-positive cytoplasm and V-ATPase immunofluorescence in the apical surface. Tracheoles and polysaccharide-rich fat body cells were found next or in close contact to the oviduct or spermathecal tissues. The results indicate that the spermatheca proximal portion is related to contraction and sperm transport, whose oxygen and energy supply is guaranteed by the associated tracheal branches and fat bodies. In the storage portion, fat bodies and tracheae seem to be crucial for the maintenance of an optimal spermathecal microenvironment and storage of viable sperm cells. The participation of V-ATPase in the spermathecae epithelial cells may contribute for the maintenance of an optimal luminal milieu to spermatozoa, by alkalinization and/or acidification of lumen, similarly to the other epithelial cell types in insects. Further studies are necessary to clarify the role of this proton pump in the spermathecal epithelial cells. (AU)

• Processo FAPESP: 12/23845-3 - Avaliação do efeito da Vitamina B12 sobre as fases mitótica e meiótica da espermatogênese e sobre o DNA espermático de ratos tratados com cimetidina
• Beneficiário: Estela Sasso Cerri
• Modalidade de apoio: Auxílio à Pesquisa - Regular
• Processo FAPESP: 17/19829-6 - Efeito do antidepressivo venlafaxina na histofisiologia do aparelho reprodutor masculino e em parâmetros espermáticos de ratos adultos
• Beneficiário: Estela Sasso Cerri
• Modalidade de apoio: Auxílio à Pesquisa - Regular