Philippine E-Journals

Gross Anatomy and Histology of the Ampulla of the Ductus Deferens and Some Ultrastructural Features of the Glandular Epimelium of the Ampullary Glands of Philippine Water Buffaloes (Bubalus Bubalis L.)

Galen S. Gueco | Maria Theresa S. Onate | Ceferino P. Maala

Discipline: Animal Science

 

Abstract:

The paper describes the ampulla of the ductus deferens of young and adult Philippine water buffalo bulls grossly and histologically, and the glandular epithelium ultrastructurally. In young (1-1.5 years old) and adult (3-5 years old) buffaloes, the ampulla was fusiform in shape and whitish in color. Its average diameter, length and weight were 7.1 mm, 7.4 cm and 3.98g in the adults and 6.1 mm, 5.8 cm, and 2.5 g in the young bulls. The wall of the ampulla was made up of tunica mucosa, lamina propria-submucosa, tunica muscularis and tunica adventitia. The lamina muscularis mucosae was absent. The mucosa was lined by a pseudostratified columnar epithelium consisting mainly of tall columnar cells and basal cells and occasionally,. clear cells or goblet-like cells and intraepithelial lymphocytes. Intraepithelial glands were observed only in the young bulls. The lamina propria-submucosa contained numerous simple branched tubuloalveolar glands (ampullary glands). The adenomeres were lined by either simple cuboidal or pseudostratified columnar epithelium. The pseudostratified columnar lined adenomeres were more numerous than the cuboidal-lined adenomeres and made of tall columnar cells, basal cells and migratory lymphocytes. The tunica muscularis was composed of inner circular and outer longitudinal muscle layer. The tunica adventitia was made up of loose areolar connective tissue containing collagen and elastic fiber, nerves and blood vessels. Ultrastructurally, at lower magnification, the glandular epithelium consisted of tall columnar cells, basal cells, migratory lymphocytes and myoepithelial cells outside the basal border. The tall columnar cells showed numerous microvilli in their apical border except in cytoplasmic blebs. These cells were characterized by the presence of numerous polymorphic electron dense bodies in the apical cytoplasm. Basal cells showed few profiles of large and lipid droplets (vacuoles) supranuclearly. The presence of cytoplasmic extensions or pseudopods distinguished the migratory lymphocytes from adjacent cells. The fusiformshaped myoepithelial cells had scanty cytoplasm, elongated nucleus and evenly dispersed heterochromatin and euchromatin. The gross and microscopic findings showed that the ampulla of the water buffalo is similar to that of cattle. The secretions of the ampullary glands provide nourishment to the spermatozoa; its wide lumen serves as storage place for spermatozoa before their release into the urethra during ejaculation.