Histochemistry of the “sexual segment” granules of the male rattlesnake kidney

Abstract

Abstract The histochemistry of the “sexual segment” granules of the kidney of male diamondback rattlesnakes has been studied to define the nature of these andro‐genically responsive granules. The kidneys were variously fixed and sections stained with a number of acid dyes, as well as by a variety of carbohydrate, lipid, and protein histochemical methods. The results indicate that “sexual segment” granules bind acid dyes strongly, contain some lipids and neutral glyco‐ or mucoproteins, much tyrosine and lysine, and some tryptophan and cysteine. A resemblance, concluded to be superficial, is noted between the histochemical properties of zymogen granules and the predominantly proteinaceous “sexual segment” granules.