Ontogeny of the testicular excurrent duct system of male Japanese quail (Coturnix japonica): A histological, ultrastructural, and histometric study. 2022

Mohammed I A Ibrahim, and Musa Zakariah, and Reneilwe A Molele, and Mohamed A A Mahdy, and June H Williams, and Christo J Botha
Department of Paraclinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa.

The testicular excurrent duct system undergoes several physiological and morphological changes during the reproductive stage or breeding season in mammals, birds, and reptiles. Studies on normal age-related histomorphological changes in the excurrent duct system of Japanese quails (Coturnix japonica) remain unreported, despite the extensive use of this bird as an avian model in research studies. The current study investigated the histological, ultrastructural, and histometric changes in the testicular excurrent duct system of the Japanese quail during three reproductive stages, namely prepubertal, pubertal, and adult. Simple squamous to low cuboidal cells formed the epithelia of the rete testis in prepubertal and pubertal birds, while in adult birds the lining was low cuboidal to cuboidal. In pubertal and adult birds, the nonciliated Type I epithelial cells of the proximal efferent duct displayed a subapical endocytotic apparatus comprising coated pits, coated apical tubules, and endosomes. There was a significant increase (p ≤ .001) in epithelial heights of all ducts of the excurrent duct system in the mature, sexually active, adult birds when compared to the other age groups. The luminal and tubular diameters, and the cross-sectional areas of efferent ducts and the epididymal duct unit increased significantly (p ≤ .001) with age. It is concluded that the morphology and morphometry of the excurrent ducts of the testis of the Japanese quail change as birds mature.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D008297 Male Males
D012098 Reproduction The total process by which organisms produce offspring. (Stedman, 25th ed) Human Reproductive Index,Human Reproductive Indexes,Reproductive Period,Human Reproductive Indices,Index, Human Reproductive,Indexes, Human Reproductive,Indices, Human Reproductive,Period, Reproductive,Periods, Reproductive,Reproductive Index, Human,Reproductive Indices, Human,Reproductive Periods
D003370 Coturnix A genus of BIRDS in the family Phasianidae, order GALLIFORMES, containing the common European and other Old World QUAIL. Japanese Quail,Coturnix japonica,Japanese Quails,Quail, Japanese,Quails, Japanese
D004822 Epididymis The convoluted cordlike structure attached to the posterior of the TESTIS. Epididymis consists of the head (caput), the body (corpus), and the tail (cauda). A network of ducts leaving the testis joins into a common epididymal tubule proper which provides the transport, storage, and maturation of SPERMATOZOA.
D004848 Epithelium The layers of EPITHELIAL CELLS which cover the inner and outer surfaces of the cutaneous, mucus, and serous tissues and glands of the body. Mesothelium,Epithelial Tissue,Mesothelial Tissue,Epithelial Tissues,Mesothelial Tissues,Tissue, Epithelial,Tissue, Mesothelial,Tissues, Epithelial,Tissues, Mesothelial
D000818 Animals Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA. Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D013737 Testis The male gonad containing two functional parts: the SEMINIFEROUS TUBULES for the production and transport of male germ cells (SPERMATOGENESIS) and the interstitial compartment containing LEYDIG CELLS that produce ANDROGENS. Testicles,Testes,Testicle

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