Histomorphometrical study of the cervix during the oestrous cycle in adult Azarbaijan buffalo

In this study, genital tracts of 20 healthy non-pregnant buffaloes were collected from Urmia abattoir. These genital tracts were selected based on their ovaries conditions, half of them were in follicular phase and the other half were in luteal phase. The samples were taken from anterior, middle and posterior regions of the cervix and fixed in 10% buffer formalin. Then, histological sections of 5-7 micro m thickness were prepared and stained with haematoxylin and eosin for histomorphometrical study and toluidine blue for study of mast cells. Histomorphometrical study was accomplished by graded and latticed objective lens device. The results revealed that the thickness of epithelium significantly [P < 0.05] increased in the luteal phase. Mean thickness of mucosa-submucosa layers in the middle [290.4 +/- 12.69 micro m] and posterior [283.14 +/- 16.49 micro m] regions of the cervix in the follicular phase was significantly more than the luteal phase [P<0.05]. Mean thickness of tunica muscularis increased significantly [P<0.05] during the follicular phase in the anterior region of the cervix [3325.28 +/- 286.69 micro m]. This study also revealed that the mean distribution of mast cells in the luteal phase [0.53 +/- 0.02] was significantly more than the follicular phase [P < 0.001]. Generally, this study showed that the histomorphometrical changes in the cervix of buffalo occur in the follicular and luteal phases of oestrous cycle. These changes may be related to the fluctuation of oestrogen and progesterone hormones and distribution of mast cells

[Histological study of cervix in adult Azarbayjanii buffalo in estrus cycle]

Due the fact that during estrus cycle the genital organs are affected by female reproductive hormones, the physiologic changes more likely will reflected in structural alterations of genital organs. For determination of histological changes during estrus cycle, 20 genital organs from 4-8 years old buffalos were collected from abattoir and 10 specimens were appointed to each phases of estrus cycle. The tissues were stained with H and E, PAS, Verhoeff, Toluidine blue and Van Geisson's methods, respectively for general histological study, carbohydrate, elastic fibers, mast cells, and collagen fibers. Mucosal epithelium was simple columnar and some cells were ciliated and some others recognized by extensive and clear cytoplasm. Epithelium in follicular phase contained PAS positive granules more than the leuteal phase. Collagen fibers revealed more in deep region of mucosa-submucosa and between bundles of muscles. Elastic fibers were observed in connective tissue of tunica muscularis and around of blood vessels. Mast cells were observed in mucosa-submucosa and tunica muscularis. We conclude that; the epithelium of uterine cervix in follicular phase of estrus cycles has secretory activity. The structural firmness and solidity of this organ most probably is due to presence of collagen fibers in mucosa- submucosa layers. More likely, the mast cells involving in histological changes of the cervix during estrus cycle