The developmental changes of the anogenital distance and external genitalia were studied in 81 fetuses of the southern minke whale. It was difficult to sex the fetuses with less than 55.8 mm crown-rump length (CRL) even by histological means, but it was easy in the fetuses with more than 77.0 mm CRL and less than 110.0 mm CRL. The histologically determined male fetuses had a ratio of anogenital distance to CRL or body length of more than 5% while females had a value of less than 4%. At later stages with a CRL of more than 113.0 mm, male fetuses had an umbilicus-directed genital tubercle, while in females a tail-directed tubercle was observed.The present study suggests that the stage with sexual dimorphism might be earlier in the southern minke whale than that previously reported.

The present study describes the immunohistochemical distributions of extracellular matrices and the carbonic anhydrase isozyme III (CA-3) in the bovine ruminal epithelium during fetal development. Fibronectin (FN), laminin and type I and IV collagens were distributed in the ruminal subepithelial mesenchymal regions with nonspecific regionality during the gestational periods. At stages after about 59 cm crown-rump length (CRL), FN of the epithelial basement membrane disappeared, and CA-3 appeared in the basal epithelial cells of the root of the ruminal papillae, suggesting that the functional differentiation of the ruminal epithelium might start at around 59 cm CRL in bovine fetuses.

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With the use of monoclonal antibodies, raised against the human polyglucosan, positive staining of polyglucosan bodies (PGB) was detected in the brain, spinal cord and cecum of aged dogs. PGB in feline brain were also positively stained with these antibodies. These findings indicate that animal PGB share common antigenicity with human PGB.

The present study deals with an immunohistochemical localization of S-100 protein in the bovine oviduct. The epithelium of the infundibulum, ampulla and isthmus showed a positive staining for S-100 protein. The immunoreactivity for S-100 was observed both in the ciliated and nonciliated (secretory) cells of the oviductal epithelium at any stages of the estrous cycle. The immunoreactivity was also found in nervous elements and endothelial cells of blood vessels. No cell outside these cells showed any immunoreactivity for S-100. Although the functional significance of S-100 protein in the oviductal epithelium remains to be elucidated, the present results introduce new perspectives into the investigation of function and localization of S-100 protein.