Species- and organ-specificity of secretory proteins derived from human prostate and seminal vesicles

Polyclonal antibodies against semenogelin (SG) isolated from human seminal vesicle secretion and acid phosphatase (PAP), β‐microseminoprotein (β‐MSP), and Prostate‐Specific Antigen (PSA) derived from human prostatic fluid, as well as a monoclonal antibody against β‐MSP were used for immunocytochemical detection of the respective antigens in different organs from different species. SG immunoreactivity was detected in the epithelium of the pubertal and adult human and in monkey seminal vesicle, ampulla of the vas deferens, and ejaculatory duct. PAP, β‐MSP, and PSA immunoreactivities were detected in the pubertal and adult human prostate and the cranial and caudal monkey prostate. With the exception of a weak PSA immunoreactivity in the proximal portions of the ejaculatory duct, none of the latter antisera reacted with seminal vesicle, ampullary, and ejaculatory duct epithelium. Among the non‐primate species studied (dog, bull, rat, guinea pig) only the canine prostatic epithelium displayed a definite immunoreactivity with the PAP antibody and a moderate reaction with the PSA antibody. No immunoreaction was seen in bull and rat seminal vesicle and canine ampulla of the vas deferens with the SG antibody. The same was true for the (ventral) prostate of rat, bull, and dog for β‐MSP. The epithelium of the rat dorsal prostate showed a slight cross‐reactivity with the monoclonal antibody against β‐MSP and one polyclonal antibody against PSA. The findings indicate a rather strict species‐dependent expression of human seminal proteins which show some similarities in primates, but only marginal relationship to species with different physiology of seminal fluid

Understanding Physical Conditions in High Redshift Galaxies through C I Fine Structure Lines: Data and Methodology

We probe the physical conditions in high redshift galaxies, specifically, the Damped Lyman-alpha Systems (DLAs) using neutral carbon (CI) fine structure lines and molecular hydrogen (H2). We report five new detections of CI and analyze the CI in an additional 2 DLAs with previously published data. We also present one new detection of H2 in a DLA. We present a new method of analysis that simultaneously constrains \emph{both} the volume density and the temperature of the gas, as opposed to previous studies that a priori assumed a gas temperature. We use only the column density of CI measured in the fine structure states and the assumption of ionization equilibrium in order to constrain the physical conditions in the gas. We present a sample of 11 CI velocity components in 6 DLAs and compare their properties to those derived by the global CII* technique. The resulting median values for this sample are: = 69 cm^{-3}, = 50 K, and = 3.86 cm^{-3} K, with standard deviations, sigma_{n(HI)} = 134 cm^{-3}, sigma_T = 52 K, and sigma_{log(P/k)} = 3.68 cm^{-3} K. This can be compared with the integrated median values for the same DLAs : = 2.8 cm^{-3}, = 139 K, and = 2.57 cm^{-3} K, with standard deviations sigma_{n(HI)} = 3.0 cm^{-3}, sigma_T = 43 K, and sigma_{log(P/k)} = 0.22 cm^{-3} K. Interestingly, the pressures measured in these high redshift CI clouds are similar to those found in the Milky Way. We conclude that the CI gas is tracing a higher-density, higher-pressure region, possibly indicative of post-shock gas or a photodissociation region on the edge of a molecular cloud. We speculate that these clouds may be direct probes of the precursor sites of star formation in normal galaxies at high redshift.Comment: Accepted for publication in Ap