Vol. 43, No. 2, 1999 previous next

SEASONAL VARIATIONS IN THE METRIC ANALYSIS OF THE TESTIS AND EPIDIDYMIS IN FALLOW-DEER (Dama dama)

Massányi, P., Lukáč, N., Hluchý, S., Slamečka, J.*, Jurčík, R.*, Toman, R., Kováčik, J.

University of Agriculture
949 76 Nitra
The Slovak Republic		 *Research Institute of Animal Production
949 92 Nitra
The Slovak Republic

Summary

The histological structure of the testis and epididymis in fallow-deer (Dama dama) and its variation in two different seasons (spring, autumn) were studied.
In the spring period there is a lower relative volume of germinal epithelium (63.61 %) in testis in comparison with autumn (76.18 %). A higher relative volume of stroma in spring (20.05 %) and a lower in autumn (11.47 %) is reported. This difference was significant (P < 0.001). The relative volume of the lumen was similar in both seasons (16.34 and 12.35 %). The average thickness of the seminiferous tubules was greater in autumn (228.91 ± 38.87 µm) than in spring (143.08 ± 24.8 µm). The average number of cells in the germinal epithelium in spring was 32.25 per 10 000 µm2 and in autumn 50.85 per 10 000 µm2 (P < 0.001).
In the epididymis, the greater relative volume of the stroma (P < 0.05) occurred in the spring (51.32 %) and the less in autumn (33.97 %). The relative volume of epithelium was similar in the spring (22.05 %) and in autumn (29.10 %). The relative volume of the lumen in the epididymal tubule increased in autumn (36.93 %) in comparison with spring period (26.63 %). There were no significant differences in the average height of epithelial cells in the epididymis. These data report very evident seasonal differences in the histological structure of fallow-deer testis and epididymis.

Key words: fallow-deer; testis; epididymis; structure; season; quantitative morphology

References

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Folia Veterinaria / 1999