Epithelial cells with vacuoles containing 54,000 dalton sialoglycoprotein in the mouse epididymal duct

Epididymal ligation in the mouse induced unusual cells, called peculiar pale epithelial cells (hereafter, pale cells), specifically in the epithelium of the corpus epididymidis (ABE et al., 1982a, b). These pale cells had vacuoles with long microvilli on their inner surface. In this study, we found that the vacuoles of the pale cells occurred in normal mice and contained epididymal specific glycoprotein, sialoglycoprotein of 54,000 dalton (SGP54). This was elucidated by indirect immunofluorescence and avidin biotin complex techniques using monoclonal antibody T21 which specifically recognizes SGP54. These immunoreactive pale cells occurred in the distal caput and proximal corpus of the epididymidis. The relationship between the pale cell and SGP54 is discussed.