Fragments of the uterus-vaginal junction of 16 adult female turkeys were investigated aiming to determine the morphometrical and histological modifications in the tubuli spermatici (tubular sperm glands) during the breeding (August to March) and non-breeding (April to July) seasons. The studies were performed in dissected oviducts processed for histology, histochemistry, and morphometry of the tubuli spermatici (TS), structures which are originated from invaginations of the uterus-vaginal epithelium. TS are simple tubular glands, lined by a columnar epithelium formed by light and dark narrow cells, which presented euchromatic nucleus and apical microvillus. The TS epithelium secretion was negative for PAS and Alcian Blue stains, indicating the absence of mucosubstances. The tubular length, tubular volume, luminal volume, number of TS, as well as external and internal diameter, cellular height, and number of cells per tubule showed significant differences between the reproductive phases (breeding and non-breeding). In the breeding season, all these morphometrical parameters were increased when compared with the ones from the non-breeding season. Clusters of sperm in the lumen of the glands, as well vesicles in the cytoplasm of both light and dark epithelial cells, were observed in the breeding season. In the non-breeding season, luminal sperm, vesicles, and dark cells were not observed in the TS glands.
female; turkey; tubuli spermatici; spermatozoa; morphometry
