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Neutral sterols of rat epididymis: high concentrations of dehydrocholesterols in rat caput epididymidis
- Source :
- Journal of Lipid Research, Vol 42, Iss 7, Pp 1089-1095 (2001)
- Publication Year :
- 2001
- Publisher :
- Elsevier, 2001.
-
Abstract
- Phospholipids and sterols are known to have multiple functions in reproductive tissue of mammals. High concentrations of the cholesterol precursor desmosterol have been described in testis, epididymis, and spermatozoa of various species. These findings and the recent discovery of some cholesterol precursors as meiosis-activating sterols suggest important functions of cholesterol precursors in fertility. Many sterol intermediates appear from the 19-step conversion of lanosterol, the first sterol synthesized in the cascade of cholesterol synthesis, to cholesterol. The bio- chemical basis of the genetically inherited Smith-Lemli- Opitz syndrome has been described as a defective conver- sion of 7-dehydrocholesterol to cholesterol. Since this dis- covery, interest has focused on this special cholesterol pre- cursor. Here, we report high concentrations of 7- and 8-dehydrocholesterol in caput epididymidis and spermato- zoa derived from caput epididymidis of Sprague-Dawley and Wistar rats, which comprised up to 30% of total sterols. In contrast to caput epididymidis, 7- and 8-dehydrocholes- terol were barely detected in cauda epididymidis or testis. Desmosterol increased several times from caput to cauda epididymidis. This is the first report of the natural ap- pearance of high concentrations of dehydrocholesterols in mammalian tissue, and it underlines the putative impor- tance of cholesterol precursors in reproductive tissue. — Lindenthal, B., T. A. Aldaghlas, J. K. Kelleher, S. M. Henkel, R. Tolba, G. Haidl, and K. von Bergmann. Neutral sterols of rat epididymis: high concentrations of dehydrocholesterols in rat caput epididymidis. J. Lipid Res. 2001. 42: 1089-1095.
- Subjects :
- medicine.medical_specialty
endocrine system
QD415-436
Biology
testis
Biochemistry
Caput epididymidis
chemistry.chemical_compound
7-Dehydrocholesterol
Smith-Lemli-Opitz syndrome
Endocrinology
spermatozoa
Internal medicine
Desmosterol
medicine
polycyclic compounds
7-dehydrocholesterol
Cholesterol
urogenital system
Lanosterol
cholesterol
Cell Biology
Epididymis
medicine.disease
Sterol
desmosterol
medicine.anatomical_structure
chemistry
Smith–Lemli–Opitz syndrome
lipids (amino acids, peptides, and proteins)
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 00222275
- Volume :
- 42
- Issue :
- 7
- Database :
- OpenAIRE
- Journal :
- Journal of Lipid Research
- Accession number :
- edsair.doi.dedup.....8092f7537eb3e4be33f3de20e12cf758