Establishment of spermatogenic process in wild boars (Sus scrofa scrofa) raised in captivity

Abstract

This study aimed to investigate the development of testicular parenchyma of wild boars, from the birth to 12 months old, evaluating the evolution process of lumination and the cellular types in seminiferous tubules and the volumetric proportions of testicular parenchyma components, associating them to the characterization of testicular development phases. A total of 39 wild boars raised in captivity had been used, from zero to 12 months old. After unilateral orchiectomy, fragments of the testicles were included in plastic resin and used to prepare slides for hystometric analyses. The beginning of spermatogenic activity and the epithelial vacuolization process occurred from three months of age. The cellular evolution of the seminiferous epithelium was more intense after the nine months, when the spermatogenic process is completed and the seminiferous tubules presented an ample light. At 12 months old, the morphology of spermatogenic process was similar to that reported for sexually mature animals and the tubular proportion are framed to the described for most of the mammals. It is ended that the period from the birth up to two months of age corresponded to the impubertal phase, from three to eight months to the transition from the prepubertal phase to puberty; to nine months at the puberty; and, from ten to twelve months of age to the after puberty phase, and to the 12 presented characteristics of animals sexually ripe.