• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.131-135
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• 1991

The purpose of this study was designed to compare the storage stage of spermatozoa in the utero-vaginal (U-V) glands and the infundibular glands of high-fecundity hens. These laying hens were assigned to four groups by date intervals after last artificial inseminations. The U-V glands and the infundibular glands in the tissue preparation of the each hen uterus were observed microscopically, and also the appearance rates of spermatozoa-contained U-V glands were compared with those of the infundibular glands. 1. The appearance rates of spermatozoa-contained U-V glands were found to be 27.8, 28.8, 19.9 and 11.1% respectively at the hen groups of 1, 3, 7 and 10 days after artificial insemination. 2. The appearance rates of spermatozoa-contained infundibular glands were found to be 0.5, 1. 1, 0.6 and 0.4% of 1, 3, 7 and 10 days after AI and number of spermatozoa contained in a infundibular glands tended predominantly to be 1 to 2. So this study concluded as follows: The appearance rates of spermatozoa-contained glands were found to be higher in the U-V glands than in the infundibular glands and also spermatozoa number per gland were more numerous in U-V glands than in infundibular glands.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.361-371
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• 1990

The present observations were focussed mainly on the morphological findings of the utero-vaginal(U-V) glands in normal laying domestic hens and the storage of cock spermatozoa in the U-V glands at various times after artificial insemination(AI). These domestic hens were assigned to three group of PMS-treated, GnRH-treated before last AI, and control group. The hens were sacrified at intervals of 1,3,7,12 and 19 days after AI. Histological sections of U-V junctions were prepared and the morphological structures of the U-V glands were observed and then were scored about the spermatozoa presence in the U-V gland. 1. The U-V glandular tubules were mostly unbranched with single columnar epithelium. Also these tubules were occassionally observed as one circular-rotated tubules or 2 to 3 branched convoluted tubules in special shapes. The numbers of the convoluted curves per tubule were $4.3{\pm}3.3$ and the ranges of convoluted curve number were straight to 16 curves. 2. The inside and outside diameters of the glandular tubules were $6.5{\pm}3.5{\mu}m$, and $35.2{\pm}4.7{\mu}m$, respectively, and the tubular lengths of the U-V glands were $219.3{\pm}115.7{\mu}m$. 3. Storaged spermatozoa in the U-V glands of all three group hens were intensively stained by hematoxylin, and packed in tight, longitudinally parallel bundles within the tubules. In addition, numbers of completely spermatozoa-filled glands were tend to increase or decrease in proportion to the numbers of partially spermatozoa-filled glands. Also U-V glands containing spermatozoa tend to be present collectively in the any zone of U-V junction. 4. In the control group, the numbers of glands containing spermatozoa in the hens at 1,3,7,12, and 19 days after AI were found to be 22.9, 33.3, 35.8, 8.6, and 0% respectively. 5. In the PMS-treated group, the numbers of glands containing spermatozoa in the hens at 1,3,7,12, and 19 days after AI were found to be 33.6, 29.7, 26.8, 8.2 and 0% respectively. 6. In the GnRH-treated group, the numbers of glands containing spermatozoa in the hens at 1,3,7,12, and 19 days after AI were found to be 19.7, 40.8, 20.4, and 0% respectively.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.1-10
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• 1991

The present investigation was focussed on histochemical and electron microscopical observations of utero-vaginal(U-V) glands in U-V junctions of domestic hens. In histochemical observations, fine granules by PAS technique for mucopolysaccharides and nile blue stain for acidic lipids were slightly stained on the cytoplasm of U-V glandular epithelium. Larger granules by Sudan black B stain for neutral fat and phospholipids and Sudan III stain for neutral fat were heavily stained on the perinuclear region of the U-V gland epithelial cells. These positive materials were heavily stained on the U-V glandular epithelium of lowfecundity hens and non-laying hens. In scanning electron microscopic findings of the U-V junction surface, the orifices of U-V glands are seen as the crater-like invagination. The neck of the U-V gland and the epithelium of U-V iunction were covered by ciliated epithelial cells. Aggregates of spermatozoa are observed often to be on the necks of the U-V gland. These spermatozoa heads are embedded in the glandular tubules and many spermatozoa tails are free on the epithelium of uterine surface. In transmission electron microscopic findings, the epithelial cells of the U-V glandular orifices were ciliated, columnar cells. The apical regions of these cells contained numerous electrondense, round secretory granules of uniformly size. The epithelial cells of the U-V glandular tubule were columnar or pyramid shape with round or oval nuclei. These epithelial cells have numerous microvilli and also contained electron-dense, round secretary granules of uniformly size and electron-lucent vesicles of various size. Spermatozoa are seen as the cross-sections of various regions of heads and tails in glandular tubules. Also spermatozoa arranged longitudinally parallel within the glandular tubules.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.11-18
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• 1991

The purpose of this study was designed to investigate the methods for the functional elevations of sperm-host (utero-vaginal, U-V) glands in domestic hens. The laying hens were assigned to five groups of low-, medium-, high- fecundity, gonadotrophin-, and caffeinetreated hen groups, these group hens were sacrified at interval after last artificial inseminations (AI). Number of U-V gland observed in tissue preparation of each hen U-V region were investigated, and also the appearance rates of spermatozoa-contained U-V glands were calculated. 1. In low-fecundity hen groups, the appearance rates of spermatozoa-contained U-V glands were found to be 13.5, 15.6, 11.8, 13.6, 2.3, 0, and 0% respectively at the hens of 1, 3, 7, 10, 13, 16, and 19 days after AI. 2. In medium-fecunditiy hen groups, the appearance rates of spermatozoa-contained U-V glands were found to be 21.7, 22.7, 13.4, 10.4, 10.0, 7.7 and 0% respectively at the hens of 1, 3, 7, 10, 13, 16, and 19 days after AI. 3. In high-fecundity hen groups, the appearance rates of spermatozoa-contained U-V glands were found to be 30.8, 31.8, 28.9, 13.0, 10.3, 10.8, and 0.9 respectively at the hen of 1, 3, 7, 10, 13, 16, and 19 days after AI. 4. In gonadotrophin-treated hen groups, the appearance rates of spermatozoa-contained U-V glands were found to be 31.8, 33.7, 32.3, 17.3, 12.0, 5.0, and 1.0% respectively at hens of 1, 3, 7, 10, 13, 16, and 19 days after AI. 5. In caffeine-treated hen groups, the appearance rates of spermatozoa-contained U-V glands were found to be 33.2, 29.2, 22.4, 17.8, 12.7, 0, and 1.1% respectively at hens of 1, 3, 7, 10, 13, 16, and 19 days after AI. 6. The appearance rates of completely filled U-V glands and partially filled U-V glands of spermatozoa-contained U-V glands were found to be 3.8:1. So we suggested as follows: The appearance rates of spermatozoa-contained glands tend to be high from 1 day after AI to 7 days and tend to declined rapidly from 10 days. Also higher fecundity hen groups tend to be higher in the appearance rates and longer in spermatozoa-contained duration in U-V glands than in lower fecundity hen groups. Gonadotrophin hormone tend to increase the appearance rates of spermatozoa-contained U-V glands than those in control group, whereas caffeine tend to increase those rates at 1 day and to declined more rapidly from 3 day than in control group.