The Structure and Hormone Expression of Male Accessory Reproductive Glands of the Sunda Porcupine (Hystrix Javanica)

Abstract

This research was to investigate the histological structure of male accessory reproductive glands of the Sunda porcupine and verify the presence of testosterone and Androgen Binding Protein (ABP) with immunolocalization. The research used three accessory reproductive gland samples of male Sunda porcupine. Tissues were processed using paraffin method and stained with Hematoxylin-Eosin and Immunohistochemistry methods. The histological structure and distribution of testosterone and ABP were analyzed descriptively. This research showed that male accessory reproductive glands of the Sunda porcupine are seminal vesicle, prostate, and bulbourethral glands. The seminal vesicle was lined by simple columnar epithelium, prostate was lined by simple columnar epithelium or simple cuboidal epithelium, and bulbourethral gland was lined by simple cuboidal epithelium. The presence of testosterone was found in adenomere cells of seminal vesicle and prostate glands; and in interstitial tissue of bulbourethral gland. The presence of ABP was detected in the adenomere cells of the bulbourethral gland. The male accessory reproductive glands of Sunda porcupine has been identified which consist of seminal vesicle, prostate, and bulbourethral glands. The immunolocalization of testosterone was found in adenomere cells of seminal vesicle and prostate glands, and ABP was detected in bulbourethral gland.