Biomaterial Database

Age-related changes in the cat testis and epididymis. 1984

L H Elcock, and P Schoning

Forty-two pairs of testes and epididymides were obtained from clinically healthy cats and were examined histologically for age-related changes. All of the following testicular features increased with age: thickness of the testicular tunica adventitia, the amount of lipofuscin in the interstitial cell, hyperplasia of interstitial cells, vacuolation of Sertoli cell cytoplasm, degeneration of seminiferous tubules and thickness of the seminiferous tubular basement membrane. Two spermatoceles were found in the oldest cat. Age-related changes in the cat epididymis included increased thickness of the epididymal tunica adventitia, occasional intraepithelial cysts and hyperplasia of the epithelium, and one spermatocele in the head of the epididymal duct. Lymphocytic foci were common in testicular and epididymal connective tissue of cats of all ages and were reactive in the 2 oldest cats. Several changes were most frequent in 3- to 6.9-year-old cats: eosinophilic to amphophilic round cytoplasmic bodies in interstitial cells, proteinaceous tubular luminal debris, and spermatozoa in the epididymal duct. Cats less than 1 year old had significant (P less than 0.05) amounts of seminiferous tubular degeneration and a high percentage of epididymal intraepithelial cysts and hyperplasia.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008297	Male		Males
D012044	Regression Analysis	Procedures for finding the mathematical function which best describes the relationship between a dependent variable and one or more independent variables. In linear regression (see LINEAR MODELS) the relationship is constrained to be a straight line and LEAST-SQUARES ANALYSIS is used to determine the best fit. In logistic regression (see LOGISTIC MODELS) the dependent variable is qualitative rather than continuously variable and LIKELIHOOD FUNCTIONS are used to find the best relationship. In multiple regression, the dependent variable is considered to depend on more than a single independent variable.	Regression Diagnostics,Statistical Regression,Analysis, Regression,Analyses, Regression,Diagnostics, Regression,Regression Analyses,Regression, Statistical,Regressions, Statistical,Statistical Regressions
D002415	Cats	The domestic cat, Felis catus, of the carnivore family FELIDAE, comprising over 30 different breeds. The domestic cat is descended primarily from the wild cat of Africa and extreme southwestern Asia. Though probably present in towns in Palestine as long ago as 7000 years, actual domestication occurred in Egypt about 4000 years ago. (From Walker's Mammals of the World, 6th ed, p801)	Felis catus,Felis domesticus,Domestic Cats,Felis domestica,Felis sylvestris catus,Cat,Cat, Domestic,Cats, Domestic,Domestic Cat
D003239	Connective Tissue Cells	A group of cells that includes FIBROBLASTS, cartilage cells, ADIPOCYTES, smooth muscle cells, and bone cells.	Cell, Connective Tissue,Cells, Connective Tissue,Connective Tissue Cell
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.
D000375	Aging	The gradual irreversible changes in structure and function of an organism that occur as a result of the passage of time.	Senescence,Aging, Biological,Biological Aging
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
D001699	Biometry	The use of statistical and mathematical methods to analyze biological observations and phenomena.	Biometric Analysis,Biometrics,Analyses, Biometric,Analysis, Biometric,Biometric Analyses
D012671	Seminiferous Tubules	The convoluted tubules in the TESTIS where sperm are produced (SPERMATOGENESIS) and conveyed to the RETE TESTIS. Spermatogenic tubules are composed of developing germ cells and the supporting SERTOLI CELLS.	Seminiferous Tubule,Tubule, Seminiferous,Tubules, Seminiferous
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