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(A-H) Corpus spongiosum (ce), corpus cavernosum (cc) and tunica albuginea (ta) of ram penis. Note the great amount of collagen fibers in the corpus cavernosum (cc), and in the septa (s) of the tunica albuginea (ta). Neurovascular bundles with artery (a) and nerve (n). (A,C,E,G) Picrosirius Red under conventional light and (B,D,F,H) under polarized light, bar = 100μm.
Source publication
The penis represents the organ of the male’s copulation. It is essential to know the reproductive biology and the morphology of the reproductive organs to increase animal production. In order to contribute to this knowledge and provides information on the ram reproductive morphology, the purpose of this work was to describe the distribution, based...
Citations
... Then, considering the male genital system, it has been found that the penis was fibroelastic, similar to that in artiodactyls, such as cattle, pigs, and antelopes (Schimming & Moraes, 2018). Furthermore, the fibroelastic penis showed a urethral process for deeper penile penetration and a pair of retractor penis muscles (Orbach et al., 2017), similar to the small ruminants such as sheep and goats. ...
... Then, considering the male genital system, it has been found that the penis was fibroelastic, similar to that in artiodactyls, such as cattle, pigs, and antelopes (Schimming & Moraes, 2018). Furthermore, the fibroelastic penis showed a urethral process for deeper penile penetration and a pair of retractor penis muscles (Orbach et al., 2017), similar to the small ruminants such as sheep and goats. ...
Ganges River dolphins (Platanista gangetica spp. gangetica) are air-breathing, warm-blooded mammals endemic to the Ganges and Karnaphuli rivers of the Indian subcontinent. Nevertheless, very little basic histomorphological research has been conducted on this endangered species. Therefore, this study aimed to describe the morphological features of different organs of P. gangetica. Despite becoming aquatic animals, they showed similarities with terrestrial mammals, such as the pair of lungs and an apical bronchus in the respiratory system, which are pretty standard in ruminants and pigs. However, unlike the terrestrial animal, the tracheobronchial tree was stiffer due to circularly arranged anastomosing plates of the hyaline cartilaginous ring in the trachea, cartilaginous plates in the bronchiole, and thick alveolar septa. The digestive system showed a three-chambered mechanical and glandular stomach similar to the artiodactyles. However, the intestine showed smaller caecum like the monogastric mammal. The urogenital system showed lobulated kidneys, a urinary bladder, a fibroelastic penis with sigmoid flexure, and a long urethral process similar to some terrestrial ruminants. Considering the aquatic environment, all those modifications, unlike terrestrial mammals, are necessary for their adaptation. Thus, this research will broadly help our clinicians and conservationist to take further steps toward disease diagnosis and monitoring of marine health of this endangered species.
... Then, considering the male genital system, it has been found that the penis was fibroelastic, similar to that in artiodactyls, such as cattle, pigs, and antelopes (Schimming & Moraes, 2018). Furthermore, the fibroelastic penis showed a urethral process for deeper penile penetration and a pair of retractor penis muscles (Orbach et al., 2017), similar to the small ruminants such as sheep and goats. ...
Ganges River dolphins (Platanista gangetica spp. gangetica) are air-breathing, warmblooded mammals endemic to the Ganges and Karnaphuli rivers of the Indian subcontinent. Nevertheless, very little basic histomorphological research has been conductedon this endangered species. Therefore, this study aimed to describe the morphological features of different organs of P. gangetica. Despite becoming aquatic animals, they showed similarities with terrestrial mammals, such as the pair of lungs and an apical bronchus in the respiratory system, which are pretty standard in ruminants
and pigs. However, unlike the terrestrial animal, the tracheobronchial tree was stiffer
due to circularly arranged anastomosing plates of the hyaline cartilaginous ring in the
trachea, cartilaginous plates in the bronchiole, and thick alveolar septa. The digestive
system showed a three-chambered mechanical and glandular stomach similar to the
artiodactyles. However, the intestine showed smaller caecum like the monogastric
mammal. The urogenital system showed lobulated kidneys, a urinary bladder, a fibroelastic penis with sigmoid flexure, and a long urethral process similar to some terrestrial ruminants. Considering the aquatic environment, all those modifications, unlike terrestrial mammals, are necessary for their adaptation. Thus, this research will broadly
help our clinicians and conservationist to take further steps toward disease diagnosis
and monitoring of marine health of this endangered species.
... Expansion is restricted as collagen fibers in the bounding tissue straighten and are loaded in tension (Kelly, 2007); the more extensible elastin fibers store energy that can assist tissue recoil during detumescence. Comparatively, abundant elastin fibers with similar function have been observed in the glans of American alligators (Moore et al., 2016), humans (Hsu et al., 1994), and rams (Schimming & Moraes, 2018). In the Nile crocodile, histological analysis showed that elastin fibers primarily overlie the lateral inflatable regions in distinct layers of both the inner and outer walls of the glans cup, but are thicker on its lateral (outer) walls (Moore, Groenewald, et al., 2020). ...
The crocodylian phallic glans is the distal inflatable structure that makes the most direct contact with the female cloacal and associated reproductive tract openings during copulation. Therefore, its form and function directly impact female tissue sensory interactions and insemination mechanics. Compared to mammals, less is known about glans functional anatomy among other amniotes, including crocodylians. Therefore, we paired an ex vivo inflation technique with magnetic resonance imaging 3D‐reconstructions and corresponding histological analyses to better characterize the morphological glans restructuring occurring in the Nile crocodile (Crocodylus niloticus) at copulation. The expansion of contiguous inflatable spongiform glans tissues is variably constrained by adjacent regions of dense irregular collagen‐rich tissues. Therefore, expansion shows regional differences with greater lateral inflation than dorsal and ventral. Furthermore, this enlargement elaborates the cup‐like glans lumen, dorsally reorients the glans ridge, stiffens the blunt and bifid glans tip, and putatively works to seal the ventral sulcus spermaticus semen conduit groove. We suggest how these dynamic male structures may interact with structures of the female cloacal urodeum and how these morphological changes, in concert with the varying material properties of the structural tissue compartments visualized in this study, aid copulatory gamete transfer and resulting fecundity.
Research Highlights
• Nile crocodile glans inflation produces a reproductively relevant copulatory structure directing insemination and female tissue interactions.
• Pairing magnetic resonance imaging 3D reconstruction with corresponding histology effectively studies functional anatomy.
