Abstract
Postnatal development and seasonal changes of accessory sex glands of the male Japanese deer, Cervus nippon (Nara Park) was studied morphologically. Specimens used in this study were; 1) One 2-month old fawn, 2) One immature yearling, and 3) Fourteen adult stags older than 2 years.
Results obtained are:
1. Towards maturity the weight of the seminal vesicle (vesicular gland) increased with the de-velopment of the glandular parenchyma. During the non-breeding season, the gland exhibited narrow crypts, low epithelium and amorphous PAS-positive materials. Many vacuoles were observed in the epithelia. During the rutting season, dilated crypts, tall epithelium and PAS-positive droplets were seen in the gland.
2. The major seasonal changes were seen in the increase of width of the cripts, enhancement of secretion, and denser distribution of the capillaries. Whereas there was no appreciable postnatal in-crease nor a seasonal change with respect to the height of the epithelium. During the non-breeding season many lymphocytes were scattered in the mucosa of the adult deer. These lymphocytes may have a role in eliminating dead spermatozoa and debris.
3. The postnatal development of the prostate was not obvious. The body of prostate is a small parenchymatous gland located on the dorsal surface of the neck of the urinary bladder.
The disseminate prostate was composed of two glands, cranial and caudal. The seasonal change was most evident in the cranial gland of the disseminate prostate among the three of the prostate. The end pieces of the cranial glands obtained from stags in a rutting season, seemed analogous to the bulbourethral gland of other mammals.
