Microanatomical Study of Embryonic Gonadal Development in Japanese Quail (Coturnix japonica)
Figure 4
Photomicrographs of 11- and 14-day-old quail embryos sectioned during gonadal function. (a) 11-day-old embryonic testis exhibits thin cortex (c) (H&E ×200); (b) testicular cord (T, ellipse) containing spermatogonium (arrow) and Sertoli cell (asterisk) was found in the medulla (H&E ×400); (c) 11-day-old embryonic ovary exhibits thick cortex (C, double arrow) (H&E ×200); (d) oocytes-like germ cells (arrows) were found in the cortex (H&E ×400); (e) 14-day-old embryonic testis exhibits numerous testicular cords (circle) (H&E ×100); (f) testicular cords (T, circle) and interstitial cells (star) were observed in the medulla (H&E ×200); (g) 14-day-old embryonic testis exhibits numerous testicular cords (circle) (AZAN ×100); (h) spermatogonium (arrows) and Sertoli cell (asterisk) were found in testicular cord (T, circle), whereas peritubular myoid cell (double arrows) whose nucleus stained orange was found at the basement membrane (AZAN ×400). Note: the basement membrane of testicular cord (double arrowhead) stained by AZAN is more distinctive than that of testicular cord stained by H&E. (i) 14-day-old left and right embryonic ovaries (LO, RO) are situated at the medioventral part of the mesonephroi (MS) and thick cortex containing oocytes-like germ cells (C, double arrow) was noticed in left embryonic ovary (H&E ×100); (j) the lacunae (L) and hilum (H) were observed in the medulla of left embryonic ovary (H&E ×200); (k) the fat-laden cells (FC) were also observed in the medulla of left embryonic ovary (H&E ×400). Note: left embryonic ovary is much larger than right embryonic ovary. There is no difference between the cortex and medulla of right embryonic ovary.
