{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,31]],"date-time":"2026-07-31T18:22:13Z","timestamp":1785522133379,"version":"3.56.0"},"reference-count":83,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"6","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2021,5,25]],"date-time":"2021-05-25T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1621900800000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Animals"],"abstract":"<jats:p>The efferent ductules and the epididymis are parts of the male reproductive system where spermatozoa mature. Specialized epithelial cells in these ducts contribute to the transport of fluids produced by spermatozoa\u2019s metabolic activity. Aquaporins (AQPs) have been demonstrated to be expressed in the spermatozoan membrane and testis epithelial cells, where they contribute to regulating spermatozoan volume and transit through environments of differing osmolality. Due to the lack of detailed literature regarding AQP expression in the canine male genital tract, the aim of this study was to investigate both the distribution and expression of AQP7, AQP8, and AQP9 in the efferent ductules and epididymal regions (caput, corpus, and cauda) from normal and cryptorchid dogs by using immunohistochemistry, Western blotting, and real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Our results show different patterns for the distribution and expression of the examined AQPs, with particular evidence of their upregulation in the caput and downregulation in the cauda region of the canine cryptorchid epididymis. These findings are associated with a modulation of Hsp70 and caspase-3 expression, suggesting the participation of AQPs in the luminal microenvironment modifications that are peculiar characteristics of this pathophysiological condition.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/ani11061539","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2021,5,25]],"date-time":"2021-05-25T13:14:21Z","timestamp":1621948461000},"page":"1539","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":11,"title":["Aquaporins Are Differentially Regulated in Canine Cryptorchid Efferent Ductules and Epididymis"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"11","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-0482-7681","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Caterina","family":"Squillacioti","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Productions, University of Napoli Federico II, 80100 Naples, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Nicola","family":"Mirabella","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Productions, University of Napoli Federico II, 80100 Naples, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Giovanna","family":"Liguori","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Productions, University of Napoli Federico II, 80100 Naples, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Giuseppe","family":"Germano","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Productions, University of Napoli Federico II, 80100 Naples, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Alessandra","family":"Pelagalli","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Advanced Biomedical Sciences, University of Napoli Federico II, 80100 Naples, Italy"},{"name":"Institute of Biostructures and Bioimages, National Research Council, 80145 Naples, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2021,5,25]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","first-page":"183","article-title":"Development and use of surgical procedures to bypass selected regions of the mammalian epididymis: Effects on sperm maturation","volume":"53","author":"Zheng","year":"1998","journal-title":"J. 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