Functional and morphological evaluation of the mucosa of endometrium and oviduct in postpartum goats

Abstract

The aim of this work was to characterize the structural changes in the surface epithelium and endometrial glands as well as oviduct mucosa in goats after parturition using the light and transmission electron microscopy. Fifteen Slovak short-haired goats were used. They were killed on days 3, 21, 36, and 40 after parturition. The evaluation of semithin sections from clay 3 postpartum revealed impaired epithelial cells. Lymphocytes and neutrophil granulocytes were present in the lumen of uterine glands. Ciliated cells and sporadic secretory cells that were released into the oviduct lumen were found on semithin sections from the ampullary part of oviducts (day 3 postpartum). Cells in the cytoplasm contained mitochondria and cisternae of endoplasmic reticulum. Impaired cells with a vacuolised cytoplasm were present on ultrathin sections from the caruncular region of endometrium on day 21 postpartum. Uterine glands were in the stage of proliferation. Ultrathin sections from day 21 postpartum showed that ciliated cells were present and secretory cells with secretory granules increased in the epithelium of oviduct ampulla. The surface epithelium on day 36 was continuous, simple columnar; in some locations pseudostratified columnar. No signs of morphological damage of cells were found. On the free border of ciliated cells of the oviduct mucosa on day 36, the presence of numerous kinocilia was observed. Glandular cells contained a great amount of dense secretory granules in the cytoplasm (day 36 postpartum). The microscopic and submicroscopic appearance of the uterus and oviduct on day 40 postpartum was similar to that on day 36 of the period observed. The results obtained can be used in synchronization or induction of estrus in the intensification of reproduction and increasing the reproductive turnover in goat husbandry.