• Korean Journal of Poultry Science
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.171-179
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• 2006

Changes in the chicken testis from hatching to adulthood were studied in Korean native chickens of 1, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 21, 24, 28, 32, 44, 52 and 64 weeks (n=13 chickens per group) of age. The present study was to investigate in more detail the post-hatching development of testis in Korean native chickens. Testes of chickens were fixed by whole body perfusion using a fixative containing 2.5% glutaraldehyde in cacodylate buffer, processed and embedded in Epon-araldite. Using $1{\mu}m$ sections stained with methylene blue-azure II, qualitative and quantitative(stereological) morphological studies were performed. Sperm production was measured by routine technique. The average volume of a testis of 1 week old Korean native chickens was determined as 0.015 g and the parameter increased linearly from 1 week to 21 weeks days (28.9 g), and did not change from 21 weeks to 64 weeks. The volume density of the seminiferous tubules increased with age from 32.6% at week 1 to 92.89% at week 64. The volume density of the interstitium represents 67.4% of the testicular parenchyma at week 1. This proportion progressively diminished during development to reach a value of 7.11% at week 64. Total sperm production per testis increased significantly from 18 weeks to 28 weeks and remained unchanged. Sperm production per 1 g testis increased significantly from 18 weeks to 28 weeks, did not change significantly from 28 weeks to 52 weeks, and declined significantly at 64 weeks of age. The average diameter of the seminiferous tubules gradually increased with age from 1 week $(42.4{\mu}m)$ to 21 weeks $(412.8{\mu}m)$. The length of the seminiferous tubules was 0.34 m at 1 week, increased significantly in subsequent age groups and reached 72.2 m by weeks 64. The stage of germ cell development in seminiferous tubules was classified as 1) spermatogonia $(1\sim8\;weeks)$, 2) spermatogonia and spermatocytes $(10\sim12\;weeks)$, 3) spermatogonia, spermatocytes and round spermatids $(14\sim16\;weeks)$, and 4) speramatogonia, spermatocytes, spermatids and spermatozoa $(18\sim64\;weeks)$. These results clarified the pattern of changes in the testicular development in Korean native chickens from hatching to adulthood as 1) neonatal-prepubertal $(1\sim12\;weeks)$, 2) puberty$(14\sim18\;weeks)$, and adult$(21\sim64\;weeks)$.