Biometric and histological study of the ovary of the female african giant rat (Cricetomys gambianus, Waterhouse)
This study was carried out to investigate the morphometric parameters of the ovaries of the African giant rat. A total of ten mature female AGRs were used in this study. The rats were sacrificed by cervical dislocation lightly and weighed. The ovaries were collected for biometrical, histological analysis. The length, width, thickness and weight of the right and left ovaries were measured. The result showed that the mean length, width, thickness and weight of the right and left ovaries were 0.78 ± 0.05, 0.02 ± 0.03, 0.24 ± 0.03 cm and 0.78 ± 0.04, 0.02 ± 0.01, 0.25 ± 0.03 cm respectively. The mean weight of the ovaries was observed to be 0.08 ± 0.02 and 0.08 ± 0.03 g respectively. Sections of 5µm were cut in paraffin blocks, stained with haematoxylin and eosin stain. Histologically, the ovary was composed of two zones, cortex and medulla. Primary, secondary, tertiary follicles, corpus luteum and atretic follicles were seen in the cortex of the ovaries. Theca interna and externa were evident in tertiary and developed secondary follicles. The medulla consisted of loose connective tissue which contained blood and lymph vessels of varying sizes. The mean diameter of the ovarian follicles measured with ocular micrometer, varied between 16 - 440µm. This study has provided a base-line data of the histology and ovarian parameters of the AGR.
Keywords: African giant rat, Biometry, Histology, Ovary,
*Correspondence: ali.nkweshi33@gmail.com, 08039716004
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