The ultrastructure of the uterovaginal (UV) sperm storage glands of fertile turkey breeder hens was characterized. Sperm glands were also studied over the course of an entire egg-laying season to determine if changes in ultrastructure occurred with time. In addition, ultrastructural comparisons were made between glands from fertile and infertile hens. Protein synthesis by the sperm gland epithelial cells appeared to be limited. The rough endoplasmic reticulum was not well developed. Intracellular glycogen storage was also minimal. However, lipid stores within the epithelial cells were relatively elevated. The degree of development of the apical microvilli and the presence of baso-lateral plasma membrane folds suggested that a primary function of the glandular epithelium was absorption. The length of time that a hen had been producing eggs did not influence the ultrastructure of UV gland epithelial cells. The morphology of glands from hens collected immediately prior to the commencement of egg production was similar to that of glands taken from hens that had completed an entire season of egg production. Aside from the observation that very few spermatozoa were found in the UV sperm glands of infertile hens, no detectable ultrastructural differences were observed between glands from fertile and infertile hens. Furthermore, there was no ultrastructural evidence of a microbial infection, nor was there evidence of an immunological response at the level of the sperm glands in the infertile hens.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.