Histological characteristic of interrenal and chromaffin cells in relation to ovarian activities in Mystus vittatus (Bloch) during growth, maturation, spawning and post-spawning phases

Abstract

The histological status of adrenocortical tissues and the correlated seasonal changes in ovarian activities in Mystus vittatus was performed. The tubules and nests of interrenal and chromaffin cells were located in cephalic kidney around the main branches of posterior cardinal vein. Various female germ line cells were identified in the ovary based on size, distinctive features and histoarchitechture of the cells. However, on the basis of relative abundance and size of the different oocytes, the event of oogenesis has been found to occur in four distinct phases, including growth, maturation, spawning and post-spawning. The cytoplasmic features and the architecture of the interrenal and chromaffin cells varied during different phases of the reproductive cycle. During growth and maturation phases, the amount of cytoplasmic granules of interrenal cells increased than chromaffin cells that was in coincidence with the increase of early and late perinucleolar oocytes followed by highest frequency percentage of oocyte at stages IV and V. The cytoplasmic mass of interrenal cells was gradually elevated along with hypertrophied nuclei from the end of maturation and spawning phases also correlated with the increased frequency of mature oocytes. Therefore, gradual accumulation of cytoplasmic granules in the interrenal cells was noticed during post-spawning phase. The cytological variations in the interrenal and chromaffin cells harmonized with constitution of different ovarian cells during different reproductive phase in M. vittatus .