Glycosaminoglycans in the accessory sex glands, testes and seminal plasma of alpaca and ram
Claire M. Kershaw-Young A B , G. Evans A and W. M. C. Maxwell A
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations
A Faculty of Veterinary Science, The University of Sydney, Camperdown, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia.
B Corresponding author. Email: claire.kershawyoung@yahoo.co.uk
Reproduction, Fertility and Development 24(2) 362-369 https://doi.org/10.1071/RD11152
Submitted: 7 June 2011 Accepted: 2 August 2011 Published: 2 November 2011
Abstract
The viscous nature of alpaca semen limits its use in cryopreservation and other assisted reproductive technologies. The cause and source of this viscosity is unknown although it has been postulated, but never proven, that glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) secreted by the bulbourethral gland are responsible. The present study investigated the concentration and composition of GAGs in alpaca seminal plasma, testes, bulbourethral gland and prostate gland and compared them to those in the ram to determine the relationship between seminal plasma GAGs and viscosity and to identify the source of seminal plasma GAGs. Alpaca seminal plasma contained more GAGs than ram (P < 0.001) and the predominant GAG, keratan sulfate, was correlated with viscosity (P = 0.05, R2 = 0.2635). The alpaca bulbourethral gland contained most GAGs compared with prostate or testis (P < 0.001). In the ram, the prostate contained most GAGs. These findings suggest that GAGs, particularly keratan sulfate, may be the cause of seminal plasma viscosity in alpacas, and that the seminal plasma GAGs originate from the bulbourethral gland.
Additional keywords: bulbourethral gland, camelid, keratan sulphate, viscosity.
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