Structure of the pelvic and penile urethra – relationship with the ducts of the sex accessory glands of the Mongolian gerbil (Meriones unguiculatus)

Abstract

The urethra is the main place of entry for sexually transmitted pathogens. However, there is little literature on the morphology of the urogenital system, principally the urethra and ducts of the sex accessory glands. The Mongolian gerbil is an insectivorous, herbivorous and monogamous rodent with nocturnal habits; it has been used successfully as a laboratory animal since the 1960s. Therefore, the objective of the present paper was to describe the structure and ultrastructure of the urethra and its relations to the ducts of the accessory sex glands of the Mongolian gerbil ( Meriones unguiculatus ), contributing to the understanding of the reproductive biology of the rodent and aiming to provide data for future experimental studies. Conventional techniques of light and scanning electron microscopy were utilized. The urethra and ducts of the accessory sex glands are similar to those of the albino rat and the mouse.However, there is variation in drainage type among accessory sex glands for the inner urethra. The ducts of the seminal vesicle, the ductus deferens, drain their contents independently into the ampullary duct that opens in the urethra. The ducts of the prostate, coagulating and bulbourethral glands drain their contents independently into the urethra.

Tissue evidence of the testosterone role on the abnormal growth and aging effects reversion in the gerbil (Meriones unguiculatus) prostate

“…In addition, the Mongolian gerbil (Meriones unguiculatus) has been recognized in some biomedical sciences, such as immunology (Nawa et al, 1994), physiology (Nolan et al, 1990), and morphology (Custódio et al, 2004;Pinheiro et al, 2003;Santos et al, 2003Santos et al, , 2006Corradi et al, 2004). More recently, gerbil has also been suggested as a suitable model for studies on mammalian aging (Pegorin de Campos et al, 2006).…”

“…More recently, gerbil has also been suggested as a suitable model for studies on mammalian aging (Pegorin de Campos et al, 2006). Gerbil's prostate has compact lobes, somewhat similar to the human prostate, unlike rats and mice, which have distinct lobes (Pinheiro et al, 2003;Góes et al, 2006). Previous data from our laboratory has demonstrated that histological, histochemical, and ultrastructural features of the adult gerbil's prostate are comparable to the human prostate.…”

Modulação androgênica e estrogênica na próstata: uma abordagem em modelos experimentais de roedores com enfoque na biologia estrutural

“…As relações anatômicas das glândulas acessórias do aparelho genital masculino com a uretra também foram descritas por Pinheiro e cols. (7).…”

Estudo ultraestrutural do desenvolvimento da espermatogênese e da via espermática de preás (Galea spixii, Wagler, 1831) criados em cativeiro

“…Nos animais domésticos e alguns roedores, a uretra esta divida em duas regiões, a pélvica e peniana (esponjosa), que são revestidas por epitélio de transição (COOPER; HEBEL;STROMBERG, 1976;MENEZES, 2001;PINHEIRO et al, 2003).…”

“…A uretra peniana inicia no divertículo uretral localizado no bulbo do pênis, de formato de coração e simetria bilateral, encontra-se revestida pelo corpo esponjoso, ventral ao osso peniano e termina no óstio externo da uretra na parte distal do pênis, sendo constituída por epitélio estratificado colunar (PINHEIRO et al, 2003).…”