Effects of maternal nutritional supplementation from day 70 of gestation on diameter, epithelial height, and thickness of the muscular layer of the cauda epididymal duct in 140-day-old lambs

Abstract

Several studies have shown that maternal nutrition during gestation can alter testicular development and the onset of puberty in the lambs. However, little attention has been paid to the epididymis, despite its crucial role in sperm maturation and storage. Therefore, we tested whether maternal nutritional supplementation from day 70 of gestation until parturition affected the morphology of the epididymis in offspring at 140 days of age. Pregnant Corriedale × Hampshire Down ewes were randomly assigned to a Control group (n = 20) fed on natural pasture throughout gestation, or a Supplemented group (n = 20) fed on natural pasture and given 400 g/day of a maintenance ration starting on day 70 of gestation. After weaning, male lambs (n = 12 per group) remained with their dams on natural pasture until 140 days of age, when orchiectomy was performed. Cauda epididymides were processed for histological analysis. Sections were stained with hematoxylin-eosin and Masson's trichrome techniques. No differences were observed between the Supplemented and Control groups for epididymal duct diameter (479.4 ± 5.77 µm versus. 426.9 ± 7.68 µm; P = 0.08), epithelial height (35.06 ± 0.54 µm versus. 32.37 ± 0.42 µm; P = 0.21), or thickness of muscular layer (32.52 ± 0.53 µm versus 29.02 ± 0.59 µm; P = 0.19). This is the first report on the effects of maternal supplementation on the epididymis. We conclude that maternal dietary supplementation from mid-gestation to term does not lead to major changes in epididymal duct structure in lambs at 140 days of age.