Morphogenesis of the bovine rete testis: extratesticular rete, mesonephros and establishment of the definitive urogenital junction

Abstract 

The development of the extratesticular rete, the regression of the mesonephros and the establishment of the urogenital junction between rete testis and efferent ductules were investigated in 67 bovine embryos and fetuses collected in the period from day 29 through day 250 post conception. The results were obtained by immunohistochemistry and by the study of semithin sections. At about day 30, the large mesonephros contains a peculiar Malpighian body in its cranial part, generally referred to as the mesonephric giant corpuscle, which is connected to the Wolffian duct by a series of well-developed and functioning mesonephric tubules. This set of primary mesonephric tubules, however, will not participate in the formation of the definitive urogenital junction, but will regress and soon disappear completely. The efferent ductules in the bovine are represented by another set of secondary mesonephric tubules that grow out from the dorsal aspect of the mesonephric giant corpuscle at about day 50. Transiently, the lumina of the sprouting efferent ductules are plugged by invading intraductular blood vessels, probably representing rudimentary glomeruli. The proximal portions of the newly-formed efferent ductules establish side-to-end contacts with extensions of the extratesticular rete that has bypassed the regressing giant corpuscle. At 85 days, the efferent ductules have reached the Wolffian duct and open into it. At 150 days, the channels of the extratesticular rete display a patent lumen and now form end-to-end anastomoses with the efferent ductules. The proliferating mesenchymal cells surrounding the epithelia of the efferent ductules have arranged in several concentric layers at about 85 days. These mesenchymal cells are the precursors of the periductular musculature and are reached by the first nerve fibers at about day 130.