Diversity of extracellular vesicles in human ejaculates revealed by cryo-electron microscopy Diversity of extracellular vesicles in human ejaculates
Human ejaculates contain extracellular vesicles (EVs), that to a large extent are considered to originate from the prostate gland, and are often denominated ‘‘prostasomes.’’ These EVs are important for human fertility, for example by promoting sperm motility and by inducing immune tolerance of the f...
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Published in | Journal of extracellular vesicles Vol. 4 |
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Main Authors | , |
Format | Journal Article |
Language | English |
Published |
2015
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Subjects | |
Online Access | Get full text |
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Summary: | Human ejaculates contain extracellular vesicles (EVs), that to a large extent are considered to originate from the
prostate gland, and are often denominated ‘‘prostasomes.’’ These EVs are important for human fertility, for
example by promoting sperm motility and by inducing immune tolerance of the female immune system to the
spermatozoa. So far, the EVs present in human ejaculate have not been studied in their native state, inside the
seminal fluid without prior purification and isolation procedures. Using cryo-electron microscopy and
tomography, we performed a comprehensive inventory of human ejaculate EVs. The sample was neither
centrifuged, fixed, filtered or sectioned, nor were heavy metals added. Approximately 1,500 extracellular
structures were imaged and categorized. The extracellular environment of human ejaculate was found to be
diverse, with 5 major subcategories of EVs and 6 subcategories of extracellular membrane compartments,
including lamellar bodies. Furthermore, 3 morphological features, including electron density, double membrane
bilayers and coated surface, are described in all subcategories. This study reveals that the extracellular
environment in human ejaculate is multifaceted. Several novel morphological EV subcategories are identified
and clues to their cellular origin may be found in their morphology. This inventory is therefore important for
developing future experimental approaches, and to interpret previously published data to understand the role of
EVs for human male fertility. |
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ISSN: | 2001-3078 2001-3078 |
DOI: | 10.3402/jev.v4.28680 |