Acessibilidade / Reportar erro

Morphological aspects of the spermatic cord of mice (Mus musculus)

Aspectos morfológicos dos componentes do funículo espermático do camundongo (Mus musculus)

A histological study of the morphological aspects of 33 spermatic cord pairs of adult mice (Mus musculus) showed that its their components were ensheated by a thin mesothelium capsule in 3 pairs. Under this capsule, completely surrounding the cord, there was a dense layer of adipose tissue. Its components were surrounded by loose connective tissue with a predominance of collagen fibers among reticular and elastic fibers. The testicular artery varied in diameter and was involved by the testicular veins, consisting of an inner layer formed by endothelium and an inner limiting elastic membrane, a middle layer formed by a thick smooth muscle layer supported by a network of reticular fibers, and an outer layer consisting of dense connective tissue close to the intervascular connective tissue and the adventitia layers of the veins. The testicular veins form the pampiniform plexus which partially surrounds the artery, presenting wide and irregular lumens, thin walls consisting almost exclusively of endothelium, with no valves and intimately related to the testicular artery. The vas deferens is located at the periphery of the subcapsular adipose tissue which partially surrounds it and is accompanied by arterioles, venules, lymphatic vessels and nerves. The cast of the segment of testicular artery obtained with Neoprene 450 latex in 60 molds exhibited a sinuous trajectory and the length (cm): was mean, maximum and minimum, 1.35. 1.80 and 0.80 on the right and 1.32. 1.85 and 0.70 on the left, respectively. These values showed no significance at 5%.

Spermatic cord; Mice; Irrigation; Vascularization; Testis


Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia / Universidade de São Paulo Av. Prof. Dr. Orlando Marques de Paiva, 87, Cidade Universitária Armando de Salles Oliveira, 05508-270 São Paulo SP Brazil, Tel.: +55 11 3091-7636, Fax: +55 11 3031-3074 / 3091-7672 / 3091-7678 - São Paulo - SP - Brazil
E-mail: brazvet@edu.usp.br