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Quantitative morphology of the testicular tubular epithelium in the water buffalo ( Bubalus bubalis ) *
Author(s) -
Wrobel K.H.,
Pawar H. Singh
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
andrologia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.633
H-Index - 59
eISSN - 1439-0272
pISSN - 0303-4569
DOI - 10.1111/j.1439-0272.1992.tb02612.x
Subject(s) - spermatogenesis , sertoli cell , spermatocyte , biology , andrology , epithelium , meiosis , germ cell , microbiology and biotechnology , cell cycle , cytoplasm , endocrinology , medicine , anatomy , cell , genetics , gene
Summary. Ultrastructural features and morphometric evaluations of water buffalo seminiferous epithelium are reported for the 6 phases of the spermatogenic cycle. The relative Sertoli cell volume varies between 30% (phase 4) and 39% (phase 8), the calculated volume of a Sertoli cell between 7118 μm 3 and 8968 μm 3 (phase 4). Smooth ER is the organelle that exhibits the most prominent changes in Sertoli cells during the spermatogenic cycle: it occupies about 6% in phase 3 and 21% in phase 4. All spermatogenic cells of the same clone present cytoplasmic bridges among them. From preleptotene (about 470 μm 3 ) to late diplotene (about 2300 μm 3 ) the volume of a primary spermatocyte increases nearly 5‐fold; their nuclear volumes increase 3.5‐fold in the same period. Secondary spermatocytes are found only in phase 4 of the cycle. Due to partial cell necrosis and autolysis late maturation phase spermatids display not more than 25% of the size of early cap phase spermatids. 63% of all numerically possible germ cells disappear from the seminiferous epithelium during spermatogenesis. Particularly heavy cell loss is observed in phase 4 and involves the spermatogonial fraction as well as cells during the second meiotic division.