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Immunohistochemistry of prostasomes from human semen
H Renneberg1, L Konrad, I Dammshäuser
1Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Philipps Universität, Marburg, Germany.
Background:
To elucidate the origin of so-called "prostasomes" in human semen, a polyvalent rabbit antiserum was produced against a highly purified preparation of these secretory particles.
Methods:
An immunoaffinity selected fraction of the antiserum contained one antibody which in Western blots of prostate extracts showed a 100 kDa band.
Results:
Semithin sections processed for immunohistochemistry by using this immunoselected antibody presented a distinct immunoreaction at the apical plasma membrane of secretory cells. The immunoreaction was not organ specific, but was present also in seminal vesicles, epididymis, salivary glands, and kidney. As spermatozoa present in epididymis and seminal vesicles were likewise immunoreactive, a polytopic origin of the respective antigen was concluded.
Conclusions:
Prostatsomes therefore should rather be designated as "seminosomes" which more clearly refers to the composite origin of these particles.