Seasonal variations in histomorphology and histochemistry of the prostate gland of buffalo bulls

Abstract

The prostate glands of buffalo bulls were collected from an abattoir immediately after slaughter and were fixed in 10% neutralbuffered formalin for paraffin block preparation by an acetone-benzene schedule. Paraffin sections of 3–5 μm were obtained on glassslides with a rotary microtome and were stained with various histomorphological and histochemical stains. The distributions of glandularacini and ducts were variable throughout the length of the pelvic urethra. The disseminate part of the prostate gland was derived fromthe epithelium of the pelvic urethra and was a compound tubulo-alveolar type of gland. The glandular acini comprised three types ofcells, i.e. principal (serous cells), mucous, and narrow dark cells. In winter, the lumen of the acini became wider than in summer. Theamount of glandular tissue decreased from winter to summer, whereas a reverse pattern was observed in the stroma. The prostaticconcretions were larger and centrally placed during winter but became peripheral in summer. The average epithelial height of prostaticacini varied significantly between seasons. The activity of neutral mucopolysaccharides, basic proteins, lipids, and phospholipids washigher in winter than summer, whereas that of acid mucopolysaccharides was higher in summer than winter.