title: Morphology of the vas deferens of the budgerigar (Melopsittacus undulatus).
abstract: A morphological study of the budgerigar vas deferens was conducted to demonstrate the electron-microscopic features of its epithelial lining. The analysis showed that the vas deferens of the budgerigar was found to be of a tubular and serpentine structure, continuous with the epididymal region and lined with stereo ciliated pseudostratified epithelium, which contained folds projecting into the tubular lumen and a characteristic brush border. The epithelium consists of ciliated and non-ciliated cells with different electron densities. Ciliated cells were characterized by two morphologically distinct configurations: some cells were columnar and other ciliated cells were longer, thinner and dark. Non-ciliated cells showed apical cytoplasmic expansions, which projected into the tubular lumen as protrusions.
authors.affiliation: University Centre, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Baldan
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Orsi
authors.forename: M J S
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Viotto
authors.forename: S M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Baraldi-Artoni
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Stefanini
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002923:Cilia / Q000648:ultrastructure; D004848:Epithelium / Q000648:ultrastructure; D008297:Male; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D010311:Parrots / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D014649:Vas Deferens / Q000166:cytology*