Microvasculature of the epididymis in the boar.
Microvasculature of the epididymis was investigated by scanning electron microscopy of vascular corrosion casts. The basic structure of blood supply to the boar epididymis consists of two superimposed vascular networks. Capillaries surrounding the epididymal duct constitute the inner level. They form polygonal meshes around the efferent ductules whereas circular capillaries strongly predominate in the subsequent region of the caput epididymidis. This annulate feature is progressively lost from corpus to cauda, where the capillary network once again has a polygonal appearance. The outer network is composed of feeding and draining vessels. Intertubular arteries pass between the loops of the epididymal duct and give rise to longitudinally oriented vessels attributable to only one adjacent duct segment. They feed the capillary network via circular ramifications debouching in different sectors of its circumference. The sparse veins draining the capillaries encircling the efferent ductules give way to a gradually increasing number of confluent veins up to the cauda.
Stoffel
M
M
Institut für Tieranatomie, Universität Bern, Schweiz.
Kohler
T
T
Friess
A E
AE
Zimmermann
W
W
D000818:Animals; D001160:Arterioles / Q000648:ultrastructure; D002196:Capillaries / Q000648:ultrastructure; D004822:Epididymis / Q000098:blood supply*; D008297:Male; D008833:Microcirculation / Q000648:ultrastructure; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D013552:Swine / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D014699:Venules / Q000648:ultrastructure