Abstract of research

POSTNATAL DEVELOPMENT OF THE SHEEP TESTIS

*Elzoghby, E.M.A., **Sosa, G.A. and *Mona, N. A. H.

Abstract

The ovine testis undergoes several histological changes during it's development, there are three stages in development, prepuberty stage, maturity stage and adulthood stage. At early ages from the first month till the fifth months (prepuberty stage), no spermatogenesis is initiated and the testicular parenchyma is composed of spermatic cords only which are lined with prespermatogonia and Sertoli cells, the lumens of these cords are filled by basophilic material and termed solid cords. The solid cords fill the majority of testis at one month and decreased in amount with the advance of age. The age of maturity begins at 6-8 months of age and the stages of spermatogenesis for forming spermatozoa is initiated (maturity stage). Then the testis produces more amounts of spermatozoa (adulthood stage).