Morphological and histochemical identification of telocytes in adult yak epididymis

Telocytes (TCs) are a newly discovered type of mesenchymal cell that are closely related to the tissue’s internal environment. The study aimed to investigate the morphological identification of TCs in the epididymis of adult yak and their role in the local microenvironment. In this study, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning electron microscopy, immunofluorescence, qRT-PCR, and western blotting were used to analyze the cell morphology of TCs. The results showed that there are two types of TCs in the epididymal stroma of yak by TEM; one type is distributed around the capillaries with full cell bodies, longer TPs, and a large number of secretory vesicles; the other is distributed outside the basement membrane with irregularly long, striped, large nuclei and short telopodes (TPs). In addition, these TCs formed complex TC cell networks through TPs with epididymal interstitial capillaries and basal fibroblasts. TCs often appear near the capillaries and basement membrane by special staining. The surface markers of TCs (CD34, vimentin, and CD117) were positively expressed in the epididymal stroma and epithelium by immunohistochemistry, and immunofluorescence co-expression of vimentin + CD34 and CD117 + CD34 was observed on the surface of TCs. The trends in the mRNA and protein expression of TCs surface markers revealed expression was highest in the caput epididymis. In summary, this is first report of TCs in the epididymis of yak, and two phenotypes of TCs were observed. The existence and distribution characteristics of TCs in the epididymis of plateau yaks provide important clues for further study of the adaptation to reproductive function in the plateau.