Light and Electron Microscopic Studies on Wolffian Duct in Male Buffalo Foetii

Abstract

The present study was conducted on sixteen buffalo fetuses ranging from 2 cm to 25 cm curved crown rump length (CVRL) collected from abattoir. The Wolffian ducts are the most important structures, precursor of the epididymal ducts and the vasa differentia in males. The Wolffian duct was observed at the entrolateral aspect of cranial part of mesonephros at 2 cm CVRL (37 days). At 3 cm CVRL (42 days), both the Müllerian duct and Wolffian ducts were present. The development of Wolffian ducts and degeneration of Müllerian duct was noticed at 5.2 cm CVRL (52 days). The mesonephric duct was lined by simple cuboidal epithelium upto 11 cm CVRL (69 days) but changed to simple columnar epithelium from 12.5 cm CVRL (85 days) onwards. The epithelial cells were resting on a well distinct basement membrane. The duct was straight upto 13.7 cm CVRL (90 days) then bent and curved over the cranial pole of testis at 19 cm CVRL (114 days) and started to differentiate into ductus epididymidis.