Title
Anatomicohistological characteristics of the genital tubular organs of the female brush-tailed porcupine (Atherurus africanus, Gray 1842) from Gabon
Date Issued
28 December 2002
Access level
metadata only access
Resource Type
journal article
Author(s)
Publisher(s)
Wiley-Blackwell
Abstract
The present study examines the anatomic and histological characteristics of the female genital tract of the wild brush-tailed porcupine (Atherurus africanus). A description of the macroscopic and microscopic features of the tubular genital organs based on observations made in 18 wild adult females is presented. The histological stains used were haematoxylin and eosin, 1% toluidine blue, PAS-haematoxylin and Masson's trichrome. Observations indicate that the fimbriated infundibulum of the oviduct completely surrounds and is attached to the entire ovarian surface. The uterus is bicornuate, being composed of two uterine horns separated by a velum uteri, a small uterine body and a cervix. In both pregnant and nonpregnant females, the uterine horns and body of the uterus present a pseudostratified, columnar ciliated epithelium containing sparse simple tubular glands. In pregnant females, the endocervical canal is filled by a viscous cervical secretion. The different patterns observed in the endometrium and myometrium of the uterine horns and in the vaginal epithelium suggest a relationship with the reproductive state of the brush-tailed porcupine female.
Start page
355
End page
361
Volume
31
Issue
6
Language
English
OCDE Knowledge area
Ciencia veterinaria
Subjects
Publication version
Version of Record
Scopus EID
2-s2.0-0036454016
PubMed ID
Source
Anatomia, Histologia, Embryologia
ISSN of the container
03402096
Sources of information:
Directorio de Producción CientÃfica
Scopus