Sajjad Hejazi; Morteza Rasekh; Ibrahim Al Hawz; Arman Sabet & Mohammad Matin Maroufi

Testicular descent is a complex process that only occurs in mammals. The role of the gubernaculum during testicular descent has been explained mainly by its capacity for dilatation and contraction. This study tried to investigate the changes in the structure of the fibers and cells of the gubernaculum in different age levels of testicular descent in goat fetuses. Embryo samples were collected and grouped in such a way that 60 male goat fetuses were obtained from 100 pregnant does (Capra marghoz). The samples were classified based on the average length (CRL) of the used embryos into 6 age groups. Tissues of the gubernaculum were stained using Masson's Trichrome method to observe collagen fibers under light microscopy. In the present study, growth and orientation of collagen fibers of gubernaculum were observed from the age of 51 days in a manner that the arrangement and order of fibroblasts and collagens to be associated with the onset of testicular migration order and collagen fibers until the end of the third month. Further, changes in the cell arrays and strings were observed after the age of 111 days in such a way that near the birth date, the gubernaculum converted into atrophy tissue. It can be said that from the beginning of the period of testicular descent until its completion, the tissue of the gubernaculum undergoes cellular changes, such as deformation and increase and secretion in connective fibers.

KEY WORDS: Histogenesis; Gubernaculum; Goat fetus; Testis descent.

HEJAZI, S. ; RASEKH, M.; AL HAWZ, I.; SABET, A. & MAROUFI, M. M. Histogenesis of the gubernaculum during testis descent in the goat fetus (Capra marghoz). Int. J. Morphol., 42(3):871-875, 2024.