Guo Yajun, Yang Yanan, Wang Biao, Liu Chengze, Li Mingna, Wang Xinrong
College of Animal Science and Technology, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou, China.
Anat Histol Embryol. 2021 Jul;50(4):694-700. doi: 10.1111/ahe.12671. Epub 2021 Apr 20.
This research aimed at revealing the structural features of Tibetan sheep's testicular and ovarian vasculature and providing theoretical basis for Tibetan sheep's physiological adaptability in plateau and low-oxygen environments. Through scanning electron microscopy, corrosion casts of the feature of the gonad arterioles were observed and analysed. The results of this study found that centrifugal arteries, centrifugal and centripetal arterioles were distributed in a 'dendritic' fashion in the testis lobule, the ovarian arteries and arterioles, which had a spiral shape. Testicular Tibetan Sheep knot-like artery had a denser spiral structure, and there were more branches in the microarteries. On the testis lobule and arteriole of caput epididymidis, the arteriole surface shows the 'fusiform' indentation to be more shallower. The ovarian artery had a higher degree of helix; its surface was distributed like a 'bark-like' indentation; and the ring was narrower and denser. Nevertheless, the arteriole network had a high concentration and a wide number of branches, as that of the ovarian arteriole network which had more end branches, the surface of the arterioles of ovaries and testicles was scarred and denser. The studies indicate that the structural features of testicular lobule, epididymal arterioles and ovarian arterioles are more conducive to increase the oxygen supply to the gonads tissue and controlling blood flow velocity and metabolism to respond to high altitudes and low-oxygen environments.
本研究旨在揭示藏绵羊睾丸和卵巢血管的结构特征，为藏绵羊在高原低氧环境下的生理适应性提供理论依据。通过扫描电子显微镜，对性腺小动脉特征的铸型进行观察和分析。本研究结果发现，离心动脉、离心和向心小动脉在睾丸小叶中呈“树枝状”分布，卵巢动脉和小动脉呈螺旋状。藏绵羊睾丸的结状动脉螺旋结构更密集，微动脉分支更多。在睾丸小叶和附睾头小动脉上，小动脉表面的“纺锤形”凹陷较浅。卵巢动脉螺旋程度较高；其表面分布有“树皮状”凹陷；环较窄且密集。然而，小动脉网络浓度高、分支多，卵巢小动脉网络末端分支更多，卵巢和睾丸小动脉表面瘢痕多且密集。研究表明，睾丸小叶、附睾小动脉和卵巢小动脉的结构特征更有利于增加性腺组织的氧气供应，控制血流速度和代谢，以应对高海拔和低氧环境。
