Histomorphometry of the epididymal region of domestic quail (Coturnix coturnix) of the italian variety

Abstract

Epididymal region of domestic adult quail of the italina variety was studied by morphometric analysis concerning to the proximal and distal efferent ductules and the epididymal duct. They formed the proper segmental epididymal region structure in domestic quail prior observed during the four seasons of the year in the Botucatu city/SP/Brazil (22°53'09''S, 48°26'42''W, 840m), with tropical altitude climate, average annual temperature of 20,7 degrees. Parameters such as the tubular diameter and the luminal diameter, structure of the lining epithelium and luminal content, of all tubules of the epididymal region, were analyzed referring each segmental tubular area disposed along the epididymal region. It was verified that the efferent ductules occupied the major proportional distribution inside the epididymal region and plus the epididymal duct presented striking quantitative and qualitative variations during the autumn and spring. These seasons respectively represented the quiescent and active phases of this quail annual testis cycle. During summer and winter some variations of the epididymal region morphology were verified. Morphological data obtained in winter and in summer respectively allow characterizing them as intermediary phases of the annual reproductive cycle. However, no remarkable change in the proximal efferent ducts and distal efferent ducts was observed in winter and summer, for the spring events, such as already described during the annual testicular cycle of domestic quail. So the epididymal region of the domestic quail of the Italian variety is a single organ, whose size varies in the autumn, with minor relative average, and in the other seasons in which this organ maintain its usual dimensions.

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

“…A previous study in fowl, duck, and domestic/feral guinea fowl by Aire (2002b) indicated age‐related morphological changes including a poorly developed subapical tubulovacuolar system in the nonciliated Type I cells of the proximal efferent duct during prepubertal development when compared to mature, sexually active birds. Furthermore, a reduction in the epithelial height and luminal diameter was also reported in the epididymal duct of quail (Orsi et al, 2017) and fowl (Abdul‐Rahman et al, 2016) during the nonbreeding season. Abdul‐Rahman and Jeffcoate (2018) reported age‐related morphological changes in male guinea fowl, that is, an increase in the tubular diameter in all excurrent ducts of the testis with age.…”

“…In the current study, there was also an increase in the epithelial heights, luminal and tubular diameters, as well as the cross-sectional areas of all ducts of the epididymal duct unit with age. Reduction of the epithelial height and the luminal diameter in the epididymal duct has been reported in domesticated quail (Orsi et al, 2017) and guinea fowl (Abdul-Rahman et al, 2016), during the nonbreeding season. In addition, Aire (2002a) indicated epithelial atrophy and reduction in luminal diameters of the connecting duct and epididymal duct of sexually mature, but inactive or resting domestic fowl and duck compared with those of sexually mature and active.…”

“…The testicular excurrent duct system undergoes several physiological and morphological changes depending on the stage of the reproductive cycle or breeding season in mammals, birds, and reptiles (Jones, 2002). These changes have been reported in various species such as the dromedary camel (Ibrahim & Singh, 2014), roe deer (Schön & Blottner, 2009), buffalo (Arrighi, Bosi, Groppetti, & Cremonesi, 2010), fowl, duck, and domestic/feral guinea fowl (Abdul‐Rahman & Jeffcoate, 2018; Abdul‐Rahman, Robinson, Obese, Jeffcoate, & Awumbila, 2016; Aire, 2002a, 2002b), domestic Italian quail (Orsi, Simões, Stefanini, & Viotto, 2017), and side‐necked turtle (Pagliarini Cabral et al, 2011). A previous study in fowl, duck, and domestic/feral guinea fowl by Aire (2002b) indicated age‐related morphological changes including a poorly developed subapical tubulovacuolar system in the nonciliated Type I cells of the proximal efferent duct during prepubertal development when compared to mature, sexually active birds.…”