Studies on the physiology of the human epididymis and vas deferens. I. Biochemical constituents

Abstract

The epididymis and vas deferens from healhy men of various ages who died in road accidents were analyzed for the levels of total lipids, phospholipids, sialic acid, RNA, DNA and protein. The concentration of total lipids and total phospholipid phosphorus showed little variation in the caput and cauda epididymides of young and old age groups. Total PLP was higher in the cauda than in the caput or corpus epididymides of both age groups. The major phospholipids in all segments of epididymis and vas deferens were phosphatidyl choline and phosphatidyl ethanolamine. Concentration of sialic acid was similar in all the regions of the epididymis but was lower in the vas deferens. DNA and RNA were maximal in the cauda epididymides while protein was nearly the same in all the regions of the epididymis. The significance of these changes is discussed.