Morphological Changes of the Epididymal Region of Meat Type Cockerels

육계(肉鷄) 정소상체(精巢上體)의 형태학적변화(形態學的變化)

The work was conducted with tole purpose of investigation on the development pattern of epididymis in accordance with the growth of meat-type cockerels. 1. Histological features of various ductules in epididymis of the cockerel on the age of weeks were as follow: within 10 weeks after hatching rete testis and connecting ductules were well developed but efferent ductules were observed in immature form. During 10th to 20th week, the lining epithelium of various ductules in epididymis was in the developing stage near to the mature form. From 21th week, various ductules were abruptly matured. Lumen of rete testis was lined by simple squamous or simple columnar epithelial cells and that of efferent ductules, having many folds and being larger than any others, were lined by ciliated pseudostratified columnar epithelium with ciliated columnar cells, clear cells and basal cells were noted. Luminal epithelium of connecting ductules was composed of ciliated low pseudostratified columnar epithelial cells, ciliated columnar cells, clear cells and basal cells. The luminal surface of epididymal ducts was pseudostratified columnar epithelium and which was composed of high columnar cells and basal cells. 2. In the India ink absorption test, India ink granules were noted above the nucleus of some cells in the efferent ductules and the connecting ductules at 7 hours after administration of India ink to the mature epididymis, but not absorbed in the other ductules. The granules reactive to acid phosphatase were most abundant in some epithelial cells of efferent ductules and connecting ductules, especially above the nucleus of cells. The granules reactive to alkaline phosphatase were noted on the luminal border of efferent ductules. The granules reactive to PAS were scattered in the epithelial cells of efferent ductules and connecting ductules.