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Histological Studies on the Regional Postnatal Differentiation of the Epididymis in the Ram 1
Author(s) -
Nilnophakoon Nati
Publication year - 1978
Publication title -
anatomia, histologia, embryologia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.34
H-Index - 35
eISSN - 1439-0264
pISSN - 0340-2096
DOI - 10.1111/j.1439-0264.1978.tb00800.x
Subject(s) - epididymis , epithelium , sexual maturity , duct (anatomy) , biology , lumen (anatomy) , breed , anatomy , andrology , sexual dimorphism , endocrinology , sperm , medicine , microbiology and biotechnology , zoology , genetics
Summary The regional postnatal development of the epididymal duct was studied with histological technique in 22 lambs of the “Swedish Landrace” breed at intervals from 1 week to 18 weeks after birth. At one week, the whole epididymal duct had a simple low columnar epithelium. In the terminal segment the epithelium ecquired a structure similar to that in the adult epididymis at the age of about 6 weeks. Normal spermatozoa were not seen in the cauda epididymidis until the lambs were about 18 weeks old. In the middle segment, distal, intermediate and proximal parts, the epithelium increased gradually in height and reached the adult type at about 12, 15 and 18 weeks, respectively. At about 12 weeks of postnatal life, the epithelium of the initial segment increased rapidly in height, at the same time as a distinct lumen formed in the seminiferous tubules. As far as histological features were concerned, the initial segment showed the adult type when the lambs were about 18 weeks old. The presence of spermatozoa in the cauda epididymidis indicates that the lambs readied sexual maturity at this age. It was concluded that the postnatal differentiation of the ram epididymis starts in the terminal segment and then ascends through the middle and initial segments.