Histology of the epididymis, ductus deferens,

penis, the vesicular gland, prostate gland, and

bulbourethral Gland.

Professor Dr. M. Rafiqul Islam

Department of Anatomy and Histology
 Histology of EPIDIDYMIS

- It comprises several (8 – 25) ductuli efferents and a long, coiled

ductus epididymis.

- It is surrounded by a thick tunica albuginea of dense irregular

connective tissue and covered by the visceral layer of the tunica
vaginalis.
 Ductuli Efferentes

-The epithelium of the efferent ductules is simple columnar and

consists of ciliated and nonciliated principal cells, and scaterred
lymphocytes in the basal epithelial area.

- The ductular epithelium is surrounded by three to six loosely

arranged layers of myofibroblasts and connective tissue.
Ductuli efferentes
 Ductus Epididymidis

• The ductus epididymidis is extremely tortuous and coiled.

• The ductus epididymidis is lined by a pseudostratified columnar

epithelium, surrounded by a small amount of loose connective tissue and
circular smooth muscle fibers

• The apical surface of the columnar cells bears stereoclia.

• The tail of the epididymis serves as their main storage place

Ductus Epididymidis
 Histology of DUCTUS DEFERENS
• The mucosa of the ductus deferens is lined by a pseudo-stratified columnar
epithelium
•Toward the end of the duct, it may become a simple columnar epithelium.

- The loose connective tissue of the propria-submucosa is highly vascularized, is

rich in fibroblasts and elastic fibers,

The tunica muscularis:

- In stallions, bulls, and boars, the tunica muscularis consists of intermingled circular,
longitudinal, and oblique layers;
- in small ruminants and carnivores, an inner circular layer and an outer longitudinal
layer are present.

A tunica serosa composed of loose connective tissue with mesothelium.

DUCTUS DEFERENS
 Histology of Penis

The penis consists essentially of

=> the corpus cavernosa penis
=> the corpus spongiosum penis surrounding the urethra, and
=> the glans penis.
 CCP

CSP
 Corpus cavernosa penis

• It is surrounded by the tunica albuginea, a thick layer of dense irregular

connective tissue containing variable number of elastic fibers and smooth
muscles.

• Numerous trabeculae or connective tissue septa pass inward from the

tunica albuginea and completely or partially divides the corpora cavernosa
penis.
• The spaces between the tunica albuginea and the trabecular network
arising from the tunica albuginea are filled with erectile tissue.

• Erectile tissue consists of caverns (irregular blood channels, lined by

endothelium) and surrounded by connective tissue (varies loose and
dense irregular), and by smooth muscle cells or bundles.

• The cavernous spaces receive blood from arteries with a helical

arrangement that are referred to as helicine arteries.

• The cavernous spaces are drained by venules, several of which give

origin to thick-walled veins.
 Corpus spongiosum penis

• It form a tube around the urethra and is continuous with the glans penis.

• The structure is somewhat similar to the corpus cavernosa penis, but the
trabeculae are much finer, they consists of fibrous tissue, much of which is
elastic and of bundle of smooth muscle.
 Glans penis

• A well-developed glans penis is present only in stallions and dogs.

• The glans is surrounded by a tunica albuginea rich in elastic fibers.

• The tunica albuginea continues into trabeculae that delineate spaces

containing erectile tissue similar to that of the corpus spongiosum penis

(stallions) or a plexus of large caverns (dogs)

 ACCESSORY GLANDS

• The ejaculate consists of spermatozoa and seminal plasma, which

is composed of secretions from the epididymis and male acces­sory
glands.

• All accessory glands are present in stallions, ruminants, and boars;

the vesicular glands are absent in carnivores, and the bulbourethral
gland is absent in dogs.
 Prostrate gland

• The prostate consists of a varying number of individual tubulo­alveolar

glands derived from the epithelium of the pelvic urethra.

• The gland has two portions:

# the body (corpus prostatae) and

# the disseminate part (pars disseminata prostatae).

• The prostate is surrounded by a capsule of dense irregular connective tissue
that contains many smooth muscle cells.

• Large trabeculae originate from the capsule and separate the body and the
disseminate part into individual lobules.

• The secretory tubules, alveoli, and intraglandular ducts of the prostate are
lined by a simple cuboidal or columnar epithelium.

• Secretory portion and ducts of the prostate gland are surrounded by the LCT
containing smooth muscle cells.
 Vesicular gland
• The paired vesicular glands are compound tubular or tubu­loalveolar gland.
• The glandular epithelium is pseudostratified with tall columnar cells and small,
spherical basal cells.
• The intralobular and main excretory ducts are lined by a simple cuboidal
epithelium, or by a stratified columnar epithelium.
• The highly vascularized loose connective tissue of the propria­submucosa is
continuous with the denser connective tissue of the trabeculae, which subdivide
the organ into lobes and lobules
• A tunica muscularis of varying width and arrangement surrounds the organ,
covered by a tunica serosa or a tunica adventitia.
Vesicular gland
Species Differences
In stallions, the vesicular glands are true vesicles, with short, branched
tubuloalveolar glands that open into wide central lumina (ducts),
separated by relatively thin connective tissue trabeculae with irregularly
arranged smooth muscle cells.

In bulls, the vesicular gland is a compact, lobulated organ. Intralobular

secretory ducts drain the slightly coiled tubular por­tions of the
tubuloalveolar gland and, in turn, are drained by the main excretory
duct.
 Bulbourethral gland
The gland is compound tubular (boars, cats, bucks) or tubuloalveolar (stallions,
bulls, rams); it is absent in dogs.

•The secretory portions of the bulbourethral gland are lined with a tall simple
columnar epithelium.

•The gland is sheathed by a fibroelastic capsule containing a variable amount

of striated muscle.

•Trabeculae, extending from the capsule, consist of dense irregular connective

tissue and some smooth and striated muscle fibers.