Submicroscopic study of the tunica propria of the seminiferous tubules of the Brazilian white-belly opossum (Didelphis albiventris).
The components of the white-belly testicular tunica propria are the same as observed in the testis of eutherian mammals, i.e., basal lamina, collagen fibrils, oxytalan and elaunin fibers, myoid cells and fibroblasts. The main structural difference between the tunica propria in white-belly opossum (methatheria) and other mammals is the presence of fibroblasts internally located to the myoid cells in the white-belly opossum tunica propria.
D000818:Animals; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000648:ultrastructure; D008297:Male; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D009893:Opossums / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D012671:Seminiferous Tubules / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D013737:Testis / Q000648:ultrastructure*