Antegrade and retrograde fluid transport through the vas deferens. Kihara, Kazunori, Kenji Sato, Masao Ando, Hiroshi Azuma, and Hiroyuki Oshima. Department of Urology, School of Medicine and School of Allied Health Science, Faculty of Medicine, and Institute for Medical and Dental Engineering, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo 113, Japan
APStracts 2:0162R, 1995.
Intraluminar pressure of the seminal tract at seminal emission from the ejaculatory duct and the mode of transport of cauda epididymal contents were investigated to explore the mechanism of sperm transport. Direct electrical stimulation of any site of the cauda epididymis and vas deferens, which generated nerve-transmitted muscle contraction, caused elevation of the intraluminar pressure only at the cauda epididymis, while stimulation of the testis, caput and corpus epididymis caused no response. The dye instilled in the cauda was emitted into the urethra during the stimulation. Shortly after discontinuing the stimulation, retrograde movement of residual dye in the vas resulted in its ultimate re-entry of the cauda epididymis. Significant decrease of the muscle tonus just after contraction was observed at the cauda. Distension of the wall of the vas generated elevation of the intraluminar pressure only at the site distended. The above results indicate the presence of rapid antegrade and retrograde movement of the sperm and the crucial role of the cauda epididymis on the sperm transport. 

Received 17 May 1994; accepted in final form 7 June 1995.
APS Manuscript Number R266-4.
Article publication pending Am. J. Physiol. (Regulatory Integrative
Comp. Physiology).
ISSN 1080-4757 Copyright 1995 The American Physiological Society.
Published in APStracts on  6 July 1995.