Ultrstructural study on efferent ductule of buffalo foetii

Abstract

The present study was conducted on 10 buffalo foetii ranging from 13.5 cm CVRL to 98 cm CVRL (89 to 295 days). After collection the tissue samples were processed for transmission electron microscopy. The efferent ductules of buffalo foetii were lined with simple columnar epithelium with ciliated and non-ciliated cells. The ciliated cells were few in number in comparison to the non-ciliated cells. The ciliated cells were characterized by presence of cilia on apical surface with typical 9+2 arrangement and their basal bodies just beneath the apical plasma lemma. Whereas the non-ciliated cells were devoid of cilia. The supra-nuclear cytoplasm of non-ciliated cells contained many coated vesicles. In the later stage of development some migratory intraepithelial and peritubular leukocytes were also observed. The tight junctions found to be poorly developed in the epithelial lining of efferent ductules at 13.5 cm CVRL (89 days) and were well developed at 19.5 cm CVRL (116 days) onwards. In early stage of development efferent ductules were surrounded with the mesenchymal tissue which after condensation differentiated into smooth muscle cells in later stage of development.