Histological, Immunohistochemical and Ultrastructural Study of the Epididymis in the Adult Albino Rat

Very little is known about the basal cells in the epididymal epithelium. Their function is unclear, although they are present in all mammalian epididymal studies. Thirty adult male albino rats were used in this study and were divided into 3 groups: group I (a control group; n =10), group II (injected with Indian ink; n = 10) and group III (exposed to ischemia reperfusion injury; n =10). The animals were dissected and the epididymis samples were fixed and processed for light and electron 14 microscopically studies. Immunohistochemical study was done using monoclonal antibody (mAb) CD . The basal cells were characterized by slightly heterochromatic nuclei with prominent nucleoli, few organelles and lipofuscin granules. The principal cells appeared large; with large convoluted nuclei and their cytoplasm were rich in lipofuscin granules and multiple vacuoles. Some macrophages in close proximity to the epithelium were structurally similar to the basal cells. The immunohistochemical 14 staining revealed that the basal cells were negative to the mAb CD . Indian ink injection into the lumen of the epididymis revealed accumulation of dark granules in the cytoplasm of the principal cells with their absence in the cytoplasm of the basal cells. Induction of ischemia reperfusion injury resulted in degeneration of the basal parts of the ductus epididymis and the principal cells while the basal cells appeared resistant to such injury. On the basis of the present findings, a supporting role of the basal cells was proposed while their role in the local immune defense mechanism was put in doubt.