以往的研究顯示，副睪在精子生殖能力的成熟上，扮演相當重要的角色。精子經過副睪時，其運動能力以及受孕能力皆顯著的增進，而副睪所分泌的蛋白質可能扮演重要的角色。然而副睪與精子間交互作用的機轉，並不清楚。本實驗室曾以麥芽凝集素（WGA）在小鼠副睪辨認出兩個與精子成熟有關的醣蛋白，GP-83及GP-49。由於副睪上皮細胞的型態及分泌功能必需依賴男性激素。因此本實驗探討性激素對體外培養之副睪上皮細胞分泌功能的影響。首先將正常四週大小鼠副睪及已接受兩側睪丸切除四週的小鼠副睪以酵素分離）進行體外細胞培養。接著將副睪上皮細胞在不同濃度的二氫睪固酮（DHT或雌二醇（E2）中培養。三天後，以放射性氚標著的胸核（3H-thymidine）來探討副睪上皮細胞去氧核糖核酸（DNA）合成之情形。並利用放射性硫標著的甲硫胺酸，來研究體外培養的副睪上皮細胞，其蛋白質合成及分泌。兩側睪丸切除而長時期雄性激素缺乏之副睪有明顯的萎縮，且在體外進行細胞培養時，細胞的附著及生長都很差。短時期雄性激素缺乏或培養液中含有二氫睪固酮，對體外培養的小鼠副睪體部上皮細胞的增殖及蛋白質的合成，都沒有明顯的不同，而且其新合成及分泌麥芽凝集素結合的醣蛋白，包括GP-83及GP-49，也沒有明顯的差異。然而雌二醇會抑制主細胞的增殖及蛋白質的合成。

Epididymis provides an environment for post-testicular maturation of sperm. Studies have shown that epididymal secretions are essential for sperm maturation. In BALB/c mice, we found that two wheat- germ agglutinin (WGA)-binding proteins, GP-49 and GP-83, secreted by principal cells of the epididymis were closely related to sperm maturation. This study investigated the effects of sex hormones on principal cells of corpus epididymis cultured in vitro. Principal cells were recovered from corpus epididymides of 4-week-old mice by digestion with try psin and collagenase. The cells were cultured in RPMI 1640 medium supplemented with dihydrotestosterone (DHT) or estradiol (E2) for 4 days. Cytochemical localization revealed apparent WGA-binding sites in the cytoplasm of cultured cells. Protein biosynthesis was evaluated with 35S-methionine and deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) synthesis was investigated with 3H-thymidine. Western blots of cells extracts were autoradiographed which revealed no apparent differences in quality of newly synthesized proteins and WGA-binding proteins in principal cells cultured in DHT and E2. There was no significant difference in proliferation of principal cells cultured in varying concentration of DHT. However, total protein production and DNA synthesis of principal cells cultured in E2 were inhibited. Thereafter, bilateral orchiectomy were performed on BALB/c male mice for 4 weeks. The epididymides were atrophied. The attachment and proliferation of cultured principal cells which recovered from castrated mice were very poor. These results indicated that the morphology and function of epididymis i.e. glycoprotein synthesis were influenced by long term and rogen withdrawal. The principal cells cultured in vitro were able to secrete sperm maturation-related proteins. But testosterone had little effect on protein synthesis and proliferation of cultured principal cells in a short term duration.