Male Reproductive

System/Aparatul genital mascul

“Color Atlas of Veterinary Histology”
• Figure 1. Testis, x.s., Baby Boar. Developing sex cords in the testis of a two-day-old boar.
• Figure 2. Testis, x.s., Baby Boar. Detail of developing sex cords and interstitial cells. Two types of cells can be distinguished in the
sex cord. Supporting cells (small with dark nuclei) are positioned along the edges of the cords. They will develop into Sertoli cells.
Gonocytes, precursors of spermatogonia, are located in the interior of the cords. They have large, pale nuclei.
Figure 3.
Seminiferous
Tubules, Testis, Dog.
A portion of each of
three adjacent
seminiferous
tubules is shown.
• Figure 4. Seminiferous
Tubules, Testis,
Stallion. Portions of
four seminiferous
tubules are visible.
Note the numerous
interstitial cells
(abundant in the boar
and stallion) and the
section through a
straight tubule.
• Figure 5. Interstitial Tissue, Testis, Ram. Interstitial tissue and portions
of three seminiferous tubules are shown. Interstitial cells are
relatively sparse in carnivores and ruminants.
• Figure 6. Transitional Zone and Straight Tubule, Testis, Stallion. A transitional zone joins a
seminiferous tubule to a straight tubule. Sertoli cells line this zone and protrude into the
lumen of the straight tubule.
• Figure 6. Efferent Ductules, Stallion. Efferent ductules are lined by a
ciliated, pseudostratified columnar epithelium. However, the epithelium
may be simple columnar in some places.
• Figure 7. Head of Epididymis, Stallion (Masson’s). The epididymis is surrounded by a tunica albuginea of dense, irregular
connective tissue, which contains smooth muscle in the stallion. Portions of the coiled duct of the epididymis are shown.
• Figure 8. Head of Epididymis, Stallion. In this region the pseudostratified columnar epithelium of the duct of the epididymis is
thickest. Smooth muscle is scarce.
• Figure 8. Body of Epididymis, Stallion. The duct of the epididymis in this region is
surrounded by more smooth muscle than in the head of the epididymis, and the
pseudostratified columnar epithelium is not as thick as in the head of the epididymis
• Figure 9. Tail of Epididymis, Stallion. A low, pseudostratified columnar
epithelium and abundant circular smooth muscle characterize the duct of
the epididymis in this region. In the stallion, the caudal segment of the duct
of the epididymis has villuslike projections.
• Figure 10. Vas Deferens, x.s., Dog. The bulk of the wall consists of smooth
muscle, which forms an inner circular and an outer predominantly
longitudinal layer with some randomly arranged cells.
• Figure 12. Ampulla, x.s., Ram. The terminal segment of the vas deferens, the ampulla,
contains branched tubuloalveolar glands in the dog, stallion, and ruminants. The glands
are poorly developed in the boar. The ampulla is absent in the tomcat.
• Figure 12. Ampulla, Ram. Detail of the mucosa. Spermatozoa are stored in
the glands close to their openings into the lumen of the ampulla.
• Figure 13. Seminal Vesicle, Castrated Billy Goat. In the castrated male, the
glandular tissue of the accessory glands is greatly reduced.
• Figure 14. Seminal Vesicle, Ram. Lobules of tubuloalveolar glands are
divided by interlobular septa, which contain an abundance of smooth
muscle in ruminants. In the stallion and boar, the septa consist
predominantly of connective tissue with some smooth muscle. Seminal
vesicles are absent in carnivores.
• Figure 15. Seminal Vesicle, Ram. The pseudostratified glandular epithelium
is characterized by sparse basal cells. Note the muscular septum.
• Figure 16 Body of the Prostate, Dog. The body of the prostate, which is well
developed in carnivores and the stallion, is surrounded by a capsule of
dense connective tissue and smooth muscle. Trabeculae from the capsule
divide the gland into lobules.
• Figure 17. Body of the Prostate, Dog. In the dog, this is a serous gland.
• Figure 18. Disseminate Portion of the Prostate, x.s., Ram(Masson’s). The transitional
epithelium of both the pelvic urethra and a duct of the prostate gland is shown.
• Figure 19. Disseminate Portion of the Prostate, x.s., Ram(Masson’s). The prostate
is a mixed gland except in the dog, where there are no mucous secretory units.
• Figure 20. Bulbourethral Gland,
Boar. This gland is a compound
tubular gland in the boar, tomcat,
and billy goat. It is a
tubuloalveolar gland in the
stallion, bull, and ram. It is absent
in the dog. The pale-staining
secretory cells are columnar or
pyramidal and have basally
displaced nuclei.
• Figure 20. Penis, x.s., Puppy. Section is through the developing os penis, which is
present in carnivores.
• Figure 21. Penis, x.s., Puppy. Detail of the urethra and portion of the os penis.
• Figure 22. Glans Penis, l.s., Tomcat. Detail of a keratinized epidermal spine. (Photomicrograph of a
histologic section borrowed from the College of Veterinary Medicine, Iowa State University.)
• Figure 23. Penile Urethra, x.s., Stallion. Portion of the penile urethra with
abundant cavernous spaces of the corpus spongiosum.
• Figure 24. Corpus Spongiosum, Body of Penis, Stallion. The cavernous spaces of the stallion and
carnivore are surrounded by connective tissue rich in elastic fibers and by many bundles of
smooth muscle.
• Figure 25 Penile Urethra, x.s., Stallion. The epithelial lining of the urethra in this section is
stratified columnar. The epithelium, however, is variable in the penile urethra and in
places may also be simple columnar, transitional, or stratified cuboidal.
• Figure 26. Body of Penis, Stallion. Large masses of smooth muscle surround the cavernous spaces of the
corpus cavernosum of the stallion.
• Figure 27. Body of Penis, x.s., Boar. A portion of the sigmoid flexure, including the retractor penis muscle.
• Figure 27. Penile Urethra, x.s., Ram. The distribution of the cavernous spaces of the
corpus spongiosum of the penile urethra is especially well represented in this section.
• Figure 28. Helicine Artery, Body of Penis, Ram (Orcein). The corpus cavernosum contains helicine
arteries, which are tortuous vessels with an abundance of elastic fibers throughout their walls.
• Figure 29. Helicine Artery, Body of Penis, Ram (Masson’s).Junction of a helicine
artery with a cavernous space in the corpus cavernosum.
• Figure 30. Testis and
Epididymis, x.s., Rooster.
Seminiferous tubules, the rete
testis, and portions (efferent
ductules and connecting
ducts) of the epididymis.
• Figure 31. Seminiferous
Tubules, Testis, Rooster.
Detail of portions of
adjacent seminiferous
tubules. Note that the
seminiferous epithelial
cells are organized into
narrow columns.
• Figure 32. Junction of Rete Testis and Efferent Ductule, Rooster. The
epithelial cells lining efferent ductules vary in shape and many possess cilia.
The rete testis is lined by squamous epithelial cells.
• Figure 33 Connecting Duct and Efferent Ductule, Rooster. Connecting ducts present a
smooth inner surface and are lined by a pseudostratified columnar epithelium with
occasional basal cells. The epithelial cells are generally without cilia. In contrast, the
efferent ductule has a folded lining, and its epithelial cells are mostly ciliated.