Muscarinic acetylcholine receptor subtypes in the male reproductive tract: expression and function in rat efferent ductules and epididymis.

In mammals, at least five different muscarinic acetylcholine receptor subtypes (mAChRs; M(1)-M(5)) are known to be widely expressed and distributed in different tissues from different species. They mediate distinct physiological functions according to their location and receptor subtype. Multiple events are associated with the regulation of intracellular signaling by mAChRs, and a coordinated balance of the molecular mechanisms governing receptor signaling, desensitization, resensitization, and mitogenic signaling is known to occur in various cell types. Most of the actions of acetylcholine (ACh) in the male reproductive tract are induced by its effects on mAChRs, but the role of specific mAChR subtypes on male reproductive function and fertility are still not well understood. The rat efferent ductules and epididymis are androgen-dependent tissues of the male reproductive tract, with important roles in the process to form a viable and fertile sperm. In the present study, aspects of the expression, localization, and potential function of mAChR subtypes in rat efferent ductules and epididymis are reviewed. Furthermore, evidences for the implication of mAChRs in the regulation of protein synthesis and secretion in these tissues are presented. Taken together, the studies contribute to our understanding about physiological aspects of mAChR and mechanisms by which the cholinergic system affects male reproduction.