The morphology of immature domestic Japanese quail testicles

The purpose of the study was to identify micro-structural characteristics of immature male gonads of domestic Japanese quail. In the study the results of anatomical and histological research are pre-sented. The main anatomical techniques, the defini-tion of linear measurements, the absolute and rela-tive weight of organs were established. Histological methods set gonadal tissue structure, cellular com-position of the seminiferous epithelium, morpho-metric characteristics of germ cells at different stages of spermatogenesis. The data obtained were processed statistically in order to determine their authenticity. During the study of reproductive organs of immature Japanese quail it was found out that the gonads had paired organs anatomically shaped compact, isolated from the surrounding tissues and organs. The relative weight of both gonads was 0.54 %. The testicles were slightly dif-ferent in shape and absolute weight: the left had a more rounded shape and the mass of 1.09 times greater than the right one. The method of light mi-croscopy revealed microstructural features seminif-erous epithelial cells, their size, the ability to per-ceive histological dyes, depending on the stage of spermatogenesis, the arrangement in the cavity of the tubule. It was found out that the largest cell in the convoluted tubules of the testicles of immature male was growing spermatocytes of the first or-der. The stage of full maturation showed clearly visible pieces of chromosomes. The spermatids, coming out of meiosis, were still poorly differentiat-ed and small. The germ cells at the stage of for-mation were not found, the sperm was miss-ing. Thus, the revealed morphological features of gonads of a male of 30-day age testify to an in-complete spermiogenez and sexual immaturity of a bird.