1999 Volume 45 Issue 2 Pages 151-160
This study regionalises the epididymal duct of the domestic cat according to the characteristics of the epithelium. The epididymes of nine postpubertal domestic cats were immersion-fixed in glutaraldehyde and plastic-embedded. Semi-thin sections were conventionally stained with H&E, buffered toluidine blue or with PAS. Morphometry was performed on clearly perpendicular sections. Principal cells were most abundant with intermingled basal cells and scattered apical cells. In addition, lymphocyte-like cells could be found among the epithelial cells. The duct could be clearly divided in six different regions according to the histological characteristics. The width of the lumen decreased from region 1 to region 3 where it had the smallest diameter, to widen again, reaching maximum diameter in region 6. The epithelium was high in regions 1 and 2 (58.9 and 60.7 μm), lower in region 4 (47.7 μm) and low in regions 3, 5 and 6 (41.1, 40.2 and 31.2 μm). Stereocilia were long in region 1 and 2, decreasing thereafter to be very short in regions 5 and 6 where they resembled a brush border. Cytoplasmic granules were most abundant in region 2 where they almost completely filled the cytoplasm of the principal cells. Intraepithelial cysts were found in regions 5 and 6. In conclusion this study clearly shows that six different regions can be distinguished in the epididymis of the domestic cat.
