الفهرس 
cover englishOnly 14 pages are availabe for public view
 |  | from | 250 |  |  |
| | | from | 250 | | |
Abstract
Sheep is the most abundant animal raised for food in Egypt. So, studying reproductive
characteristics is important to improve management of this population. Therefore, this
investigation focused on studying the histomorphology, histochemistry, electron microscopy,
immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence of the epididymis of ram. This study was conducted
on 60 sexually mature ram (Rahmani breed) with average age ranged from (2_4) years and average
weight ranged from (50_65) kg. After slaughtering of rams, small pieces from efferent ductules,
initial duct, central caput, distal caput, corpus epididymis, proximal cauda epididymis and distal
cauda epididymis were collected and examined. The epididymis of mature ram was composed of
efferent ductules and epididymal duct. The efferent ductules were lined with a pseudostratified
columnar epithelium with few intraepithelial lymphocytes were scattered frequently. The ciliated
cells possessed kinocilia. The non ciliated cells were classified into three subtypes; type I cells
(possessed numerous vacuoles), type II cells (contained both granules and vacuoles), and type III
cells (had abundant granules). The epididymal duct was subdivided into six histological
segments. Three of them were located in the caput, one in the corpus and two in the cauda
epididymis. The epididymal duct was lined with a pseudostratified columnar epithelium which
composed of two major cell types (principal cell and basal cell). Moreover, migrating cells
(intraepithelial lymphocytes and macrophages) were frequently scattered throughout the epididymal
duct. Other minor cell types had been observed in certain segments as apical cells and narrow cells.
The principal cell was the only cell type which showed marked cytological differences among
the different segments. Estrogen receptor alpha was strongly immuno_expressed in the nuclei of
the non ciliated cells of the efferent ductules. In addition, the principal cells of segment I
showed intense cytoplasmic immunoreaction, but those of the corpus epididymis stained
moderately to estrogen receptor alpha. Both androgen and vitamin D receptors were localized in
the cytoplasm of all epithelial cells; ciliated and non ciliated cells of the efferent ductules as
well as principal cells of all epididymal regions, but with a variable degree of immunoreactivity.