Arginase Status in Bull Reproductive System

Seven healthy and sexually adult bulls were slaughtered and their reproductive systemwas isolated. different tissues including: testes, epididymis, vas deferan, ampulla, accessory sexglands (seminal vesicle, prostate and bulbourethra), muscular and mucosal layer of pelvic andpenile urethra were carefully dissected. total soluble protein and arginase specific activity(asa) were measured by lowry and modified paranitrophenylglyoxal (pnpg) method,respectively. the results indicate that the highest arginase specific activity (51.28±8.79 xlo-3iu/mg of protein) is present in muscle of pelvic part of urethra. based on asa, bullsreproductive system was categorized in three tissue groups: high, medium and low. muscularlayer of penile urethra with the highest asa level (> 50 xi0·3 iu/mg tissue protein) is in the 1stgroup, testes, bulbourethral gland and mucosal layer of penile urethra (30-40 x10-3 iu/mgtissue protein) are inthe2nd groupand the rest parts«25x10-3iu/mgprotein) are in3rdgroup.significant ditferences observed betweenclassified tissues (p<0.05). the present study indicatethat asa is present at ditferent levels in all parts of bull reproductive system. this conditionmay be related to ditferent rate of cell proliferation and ditferentiation or some other unknownphysiological and biochemical activities of the enzyme in this system.