Small tubules, surprising discoveries: from efferent ductules in the turkey to the discovery that estrogen receptor alpha is essential for fertility in the male.
Small tubules, surprising discoveries: from efferent ductules in the turkey to the discovery that estrogen receptor alpha is essential for fertility in the male.
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作者：
Rex A. Hess
输出小管是连接睾丸网和附睾头的细小而精致的小管，由德格拉夫于1668年首次发现。虽然在常规解剖中很难找到，但小管是雄性生殖道的重要组成部分，在大型哺乳动物中占附睾头的50%以上。我对研究的介绍始于对家养火鸡传出小管的研究，令我惊讶的是，这些具有肾脏样功能的小结构成为我整个科学生涯中众多发现的核心。在这篇综述中，只有两个发现，我发现有趣的将被讨论：纤毛行的传出小管腔和雌激素受体，在调节液体重吸收发挥重要作用。这两个发现之间的潜在联系是在研究雌激素受体敲除小鼠和有毒暴露于杀真菌剂苯菌灵后观察到的传出小管效应中发现的。
Efferent ductules are small, delicate tubules that connect rete testis with the head of the epididymis, first identified by de Graaf in 1668. Although difficult to find in routine dissection, the ductules are an essential component of the male reproductive tract and in larger mammals occupy up more than 50% of the caput epididymidis. My introduction to research began with the study of efferent ductules in the domestic turkey, and to my surprise these small structures with kidney-like function become the core for numerous discoveries throughout my scientific career. In this review, only two discoveries that I found interesting will be discussed: cilia that line the efferent ductule lumen and estrogen receptors that play an essential role in regulating fluid reabsorption. A potential link between these two discoveries was uncovered in the study of efferent ductule effects observed in the estrogen receptor knockout mouse and following toxic exposure to the fungicide benomyl.