Abstract
ABSTRACTThere is a definite pattern of the growth of seminiferous tubules at different post natal ages in mammals. The present work involves recording the changes of the seminiferous tubules, the cellular components of the seminiferous epithelium and the Leydig cells in male Assam goats. Different micrometrical parameters of the seminiferous tubules were found to increase with the increase in age of the male goats and they showed a significant (P < .05) increase between the age of 6 and 8 months. Also, the micrometrical parameters of different spermatogenic cells showed a significant (P < .05) increase between 6- and 8-month-old goats. The Leydig cells could be marked in the intertubular tissue right from birth. Various micrometrical parameters of the Leydig cells were found to increase with the advancement of age of the male goats. The nuclear diameter of the Leydig cells did not show a definite pattern during their postnatal growth. The other micrometrical measurements of the Leydig cells denoted their highest values at the age of 8 months.
Highlights
Postnatal development of the seminiferous epithelium has been investigated in various animal species, viz. pig (Van Straaten et al 1978) and domestic cat (Elcock & Schoning 1984)
All these results strongly suggest that some percentage of the Leydig cell steroidogenic activity is regulated by the intratesticular factors emanating in part from structures other than the Leydig cells
The diameter of the seminiferous tubules in 10-month-old Assam goats was recorded to be 210.03 ± 3.98 μ, which was similar to that reported in other domestic goats (Oke et al 1984; Yadav & Sharma 1994; Franca & Russel 1998; Nishimura et al 2000)
Summary
Postnatal development of the seminiferous epithelium has been investigated in various animal species, viz. pig (Van Straaten et al 1978) and domestic cat (Elcock & Schoning 1984). The seminiferous tubules seem to exert some poorly understood effects on Leydig cell structure and steroidogenic activity (Parvinen 1982). It is thought that still unidentified correlations may persist among testicular compartments, Leydig cell organelles and testosterone secretory capacity in the domestic animals. All these results strongly suggest that some percentage of the Leydig cell steroidogenic activity is regulated by the intratesticular factors emanating in part from structures other than the Leydig cells. The Assam goat is the most versatile caprine species reared mainly for meat production. The chevon of this animal is less fibrous and highly delicious. This study is the first report enlightening the development of the testis of this animal in terms of the morphometrical parameters of different cellular components of the seminiferous epithelium during the postnatal period
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