Research Note: Effect of age on the distribution of lymphocytes in the oviduct in Turkey breeder hens

Abstract

Considering the lack of research on the local immunity of the reproductive tract in other poultry species than chickens, the aim of this study was to determine the contribution of T and B cell subpopulations in different parts of breeder turkey oviduct mucous membrane with the use of flow cytometry. In addition, the study aimed to establish an impact of bird age and different stages of the egg production cycle on the systemic and local oviduct-related immune system structure. Our study results demonstrated a lower percentage of T lymphocytes in 32-wk turkey hens followed by a successively increasing population of these cells up to the 38th week of bird's life. The results of our study have also shown a similar dependency between birds' age and number of B lymphocytes. In addition, we demonstrated a decrease in the number of immune system cells in the oviduct, blood, and spleen of turkey hens in the late and end laying period. The differences reported in the number of lymphocyte subpopulations in the reproductive system of laying turkey hens at various stages of the production cycle may, to some extent, explain the frequency and periods of increased predilection to the incidence of infectious diseases in birds under field conditions.