Morphogenesis of Epididymis in Prenatal Goat (Capra Hircus)

Haryana Vet. 49 (December, 2010), pp 48-50 Research Article

MORPHOGENESIS OF EPIDIDYMIS IN PRENATAL GOAT (CAPRA HIRCUS)

M. M. FAROOQUI1, C. P. SHARMA, ARCHANA and AJAY PRAKASH Department of Veterinary Anatomy and Histology, College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences Pt. Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Veterinary University, Mathura-281 001

ABSTRACT

A study was conducted on the epididymis of goat foeti from 0 day till term. The foeti were divided into five groups viz. Group I (0-30 days), Group II (31-60 days), Group III (61-90 days), Group IV (91-120 days) and Group V (121-till term). On 23rd day of gestation, on the ventromedial surface of mesonephros, a sharp convex ridge was observed over which two ducts ran obliquely downward and backward referred as Mullerian (lateral one) and mesonephric (medial one) ducts. At 60th day, the cauda epididymis appeared as elongated structure. Upto 88th day, it was in contact with the degenerating mesonephros. The epididymis was present in the inguinal canal from 88-95 days of gestation. The biometrical data of epididymis revealed that the left epididymis was always longer and wider than the right epididymis. The growth of epididymis was rapid beyond 61 days of gestation. It was very fast between 91- 120 days. The statistical analysis of data showed that the growth of epididymis was directly proportional to the age of the foetuses.

Key words: Goat, epididymis, morphogenesis The epididymis plays an important role in the RESULTS AND DISCUSSION maturation, storage and transportation of spermatozoas. Much attention has been paid on the postnatal On 23rd day of gestation, a sharp convex ridge development of the duct; however, the perusal of was observed on the entire length of the ventromedial literature reveales very less work on the morphogenesis surface of the mesonephros lateral to the genital ridge. of the mesonephric duct. Hence, the present work has Over this ridge two ducts ran obliquely downward and been undertaken to explore the same. backward which were longitudinally directed. Lateral one was Mullerian duct and medial one was the MATERIALS AND METHODS Wolffian (mesonephric) duct. After reaching the distal end of mesonephros, the mesonephric ducts of the A study was conducted on 70 embryo/foeti either side came closer to each other and entered the ranged from 23 days to full term collected from the urogenital sinus. These ducts became more prominent gravid uteri of apparently healthy goat. These were on 30th day of gestation. Noden and de Lahunta (1985) obtained from a local abattoir. Each foetus was measured observed the mesonephric and Mullerian ducts at 6th for its crown rump length in centimeters with the help week of gestation in bovine embryos. of a nylon tape (Harvey, 1959) and weighed. The Upto 44th day, the mesonephric duct pursued approximate age was computed using the formula same course as at 23rd day stage (Fig. 1). On 48th day, derived by Singh et al. (1979) after interpolation the cranial portion of the mesonephric duct became suggested by Hugget and Widdas (1951) in mammals. swollen which started to bend over the proximal These embryo/foeti were divided into five groups extremity of the testes on 55th day to form the caput (I-V) based on the stage of development. epididymis. However, the portion of duct, which later The sex of foeti was determined by the appearance develops into the corpus epididymis, was straight. It of genital tubercle in the form of epithelial tag, genital gained slight curvature at 57th day of gestation (Fig. 2). swelling, anogenital raphae upto mid stage of group II. On 60th day, the mesonephric duct below the terminal In other groups, the sex was identified by the end of the mesonephros showed swelling indicating the development of penis and scrotal sac. The foeti were beginning of the development of the cauda epididymis dissected by giving ventral abdominal incision to observe (Fig. 3). Medially, the corpus epididymis was related the development of epididymis. The length, width of with the future caudolateral surface of the testis and caput and corpus and length and diameter of cauda of laterally with the degenerating mesonephros and epididymis were recorded in the fetuses of groups III, Mullerian duct. After 60th day, the cauda epididymis IV and V. The data was subjected to statistical analysis appeared as an elongated structure, which came in (Snedecor and Cochran, 1980). contact with the distal extremity of the testis. The mesonephric duct below the cauda epididymis continued 1Corresponding author 48 obliquely downward and backward as vas deferens. On 65th day, the future caput epididymis became more curved. The corpus epididymis was attached to the caudal border of the testis. At this stage, it was related with the mesonephros throughout its length dorsolaterally. The cauda epididymis was attached to distal extremity of the testis by gubernaculum testis (future epididymal ligament). At 78th day of gestation, the caput and corpus epididymis were related with the mesonephros dorsally and laterally, respectively. Cauda epididymis became Fig 1. Photograph of a male genitalia of 44 days old goat foetus showing right testis (A), left testis (B), right metanephros (C), rounded distally. The corpus epididymis was placed left metanephros (D), right mesonephros (E), left mesonephros slightly away from the mesonephros as compared to (F), right mesonephric duct (G), left mesonephric duct (H), the caput epididymis. pelvic urethra (I) and developing penis (J). At 88th day of gestation, all the three parts of the epididymis were at their adult position. The caput became wider and remained attached dorsally with the degenerating mesonephros. Upper two third part of the corpus epididymis was still related with the degenerating mesonephros. The cauda epididymis further increased in size. The vaginal process was proceeding obliquely close to the mesonephros on the medial and lateral surfaces of the testes. The cauda epididymis entered the internal inguinal ring at 88th day of gestation. At this age Fig 2. Photograph of a 57 day old goat foetus showing right testis of gestation, the epididymis along with the testis was (A), left testis (B), right mesonephric duct (C), left covered by the tunica vaginalis. The cauda remain mesonephric duct entering into urethra (D), diaphragmatic ligament of mesonephros (E), gubernaculum (inguinal attached with the regressing gubernaculum. The ligament) (F), urinary bladder (G) and segment of large epididymis along with testes was present in the inguinal intestine (H). canal up to 95th day. On 96th day, testes and the epididymis approached the external inguinal ring. At this stage, they were completely ensheathed with the tunica vaginalis. The vas deferens ran anterio-medially upto the proximal extremity of the testes and further upward. At 98th day and onwards, the corpus and cauda epididymis were not related laterally with the degenerating mesonephros. However, the caput epididymis was related with the mesonephros dorsally. The curved cranial border of the corpus and caput epididymis along with vas Fig 3. Photograph of a 60 day old goat foetus showing right testis deferens was closely attached with the processus (A), left testis (B) reached near the caudal pole of respective vaginalis. At 123rd day and onwards, the morphological metanephros, right epididymis (C) containing head (a), body (b), tail (swollen distal end of epididymis) (c), vas characters of the epididymis closely resembled to the deferens (right and left) (D), right metanephros (E) and left adult one. The mesonephros was rudimentary dorsal to metanephros (F). its caput epididymis at this stage of development. Table 1 shows that the average length of left and right mesonephric duct, which was to develop as epididymis was higher than the length of respective sides of epididymis in group IV were nearly two times testis. Singh (1970) also reported similar findings in that of group III. This indicated that the growth rate foetal camel calves at 11 months of gestation. The of the epididymis was faster in between 90-120 days. average measurements of left and right epididymis in In group V (Table 1), the dimensions of epididymis groups III, IV and V are summarized in Table 1. increased progressively with the age of foetus. Thus The data revealed that the weight and dimensions the overall data indicated that the growth of epididymis of the left epididymis were higher than the right one was directly proportionate to the age of the foetus in groups III, IV and V. The length and weight of both (Table 1). 49 +S.E. +0.7 +2.09 +0.01 +0.2 +0.3 +0.2 +0.2 +0.2 +0.2 +0.05 +0.57 +1.46 +0.39 +0.22 +0.77 +0.14 +0.57 +0.19 +0.13 +0.07 +0.19 +0.48 +0.52 +0.50 +0.02 Mean Range +S.E. +0.01 0.02- 0.01+0.72 0.04 11.0 - 16.5 13.9 +0.06 0.01 - 0.04 0.02 +2.27 16.8 - 28.3+1.34 23.08 7.2 - 15.2 10.9 +0.16 4.5 - 6.02+0.66 5.1 +0.12 5.5 - 11.0+0.49 1.6 - 2.7+0.20 7.2 2.7 - 6.5+0.16 0.2 - 1.8 2.1 +0.07 0.5 - 1.5 3.6 +0.19 0.1 - 0.56 1.2 1.0 - 2.53 1.0 0.3 1.5 +0.33+0.35 2.1 - 4.5+0.19 6.2 - 9.0+0.20 1.9 - 3.5+0.21 3.3 1.5 - 3.0+0.28 7.7 1.48 - 2.6 2.3 1.2 - 3.2 2.2 1.9 2.5 +0.87 5.1 - 9.0+0.42+0.48 7.05 4.0 - 7.3+0.32 2.9 - 6.02+0.40 3.2 - 5.5 5.2 +0.03 4.5 3.5 - 5.10 0.09- 0.16 4.01 3.8 0.1 Mean Range 0.02 - 0.05 0.03 0.09 - 0.18 0.1 0.002 - 0.02 0.05 Table 1 Table +S.E.) of epididymis in goat foeti Length of caput5.5- 2.3 3.4 Length of caput11.0- 5.5 7.3 Length of corpusLength of caudaWidth of caput9.0- 6.4 Width of corpus 1.9 - 3.5Diameter of cauda 7.8 3.01- 1.54 2.63- 1.50 Weight 1.26 - 3.12 2.4 2.3 2.0 2.5 Length of corpusLength of cauda15.0- 7.5 4.0 11.3 - 7.2Diameter of cauda 5.3 3.0 - 5.2 4.3 Length of caputLength of corpusLength of cauda2.6- 1.6 Width of caput6.0- 2.7 Width of corpus 2.1 0.2 - 1.8Diameter of cauda 3.7 1.7- 0.5 0.58- 0.12 Weight 1.01 - 2.50 1.2 0.3 1.0 1.5 Width of caputWidth of corpus6.0- 2.80 Weight 5.52- 3.3 4.5 4.2 +S.E. +0.02 length Total 6.0 - 10.5 7.5 +2.89 length Total 4.7 - 5.8 5.2 +29.17 length Total 11.0 - 17.0 14.0 +155.49 length Total 17.0 - 29.5 23.8 Morphometry (Mean Mean eight of foetus (mm)foetus of eight Parameters Left epididymis (mm) Right Range Group W Group IV (91-120 days) 284 - 435.8 g 335.7 V (121-till term) 675 - 1720.34 g 1277.6 I (0-30 days) II (31-60 days) NIL 0.89 - 18.9 g 10.7 NIL NIL NIL NIL NIL NIL III (61-90 days) 56 - 200.0 g 127.3

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