Morphology, morphometry, histochemistry and lectinhistochemistry of the vagina of the plains viscacha (Lagostomus maximus)

FLAMINI MA; DIAZ, AO; BARBEITO CG; PORTIANSKY EL

BIOTECHNIC AND HISTOCHEMISTRY

INFORMA HEALTHCARE

Año: 2012 vol. 87 p. 81 - 94

1052-0295

The aim of the present work was to describe the morphology of the vagina in Lagostomus maximus as well as to characterize its epithelial cells using morphometrical and histochemical techniques (variations of PAS, Alcian Blue and lectinhistochemistry). Thirty five adult sexually mature females were captured in their natural environment during four periods of the year and their genital organs were dissected. The vagina of the viscacha is a tubular organ, 7.16±0.35 cm long and 1.75±0.05 cm in diameter. The organ is divided longitudinally by a medial septum in the cranial region having a unique cavity in the caudal region. The vagina wall has three tunics: mucosa, muscularis and adventitia or serosa according to the region. In both cranial and caudal regions the epithelium is stratified but their characteristics vary depending on the physiological state. Thus, in anoestrous, non-pregnant females show a stratified epithelium of two to three cellular layers with cylindrical PAS+ superficial mucous cells; during follicular phase the epithelium of the vagina is squamous stratified and cornified; females at early pregnancy, middle pregnancy and pregnancy at term present a cylindrical stratified epithelium with mucous cells. Glycoproteins in mucous cells were detected using several histochemical techniques (PAS, PA*S, KOH/PA*/BH/PAS, Alcian Blue pH 0.5, pH 1, pH 2,5 and 0.006M). Lectinhistochemical analysis showed that UEA-I and RCA-1 lectins strongly or moderately reacted with epithelial cells in all the analysed stages. These results indicate the presence of L-fucose and â-galactose. The binding with other lectins was variable.