# Postnatal development of the epididymis from birth until puberty of indigenous sheep (Barind-type) in Bangladesh

## TL;DR

This study tracks how the epididymis of Barind-type sheep develops from birth to puberty, showing changes in size and structure.

## Contribution

The first documentation of epididymal development in Barind-type indigenous sheep from birth to puberty.

## Key findings

- The epididymis of Barind-type sheep shows a regionalized pattern of development, with the tail developing first.
- Epididymal length and weight increase significantly by puberty, more than 5 and 50 times greater than at birth.
- Sperm first appears in the epididymal tubular lumen at 7 months of age.

## Abstract

The present study investigated the biometrical and histomorphometric changes in the epididymis of Barind-type indigenous sheep during postnatal development from birth to puberty.

A total of 21 Barind-type indigenous ram lambs of varying postnatal ages—day 0, 1, and 2 weeks; and 1, 2.5, 5, and 7 months—were used in this study. Histomorphometric analysis was done using routine haematoxylin and eosin staining.

The Barind-type indigenous ram lamb epididymis followed a regionalized pattern of development, with the tail beginning development before other anatomical regions. The Barind-type indigenous ram lamb epididymal development was slow until 1 month of age, followed by a rapid period of epididymal development.The epididymal length and weight were more than 5 and 50 times greater, respectively, at puberty than at birth. The epithelial height and tubular diameter were expanded significantly (p < 0.05) from 1 month of age in all regions except in the tail at 7 months, where the epithelial height decreased dramatically (p < 0.05). Regarding regional differences, the largest epithelium height and tubular diameter were consistently found in the tail, and the smallest in the head, until 5 months. At 7 months, the reverse was observed in epithelium height. Epididymal regions were significantly (p < 0.05)different from one another at 5 and 7 months in terms of tubular diameter and epithelium height, respectively. Sperm first appeared in the tubular lumen by 7 months in the Barind-type indigenous ram epididymis.

The biometric and histomorphometric alterations in the epididymal structure of Barind-type indigenous ram during postnatal development until puberty are recorded for the first time in this study.