Studies of fluid and spermatozoal transport in the extratesticular genital ducts of the Japanese quail.

Stereological studies of the spermatic ducts of the quail were carried out for comparison between different parts of the system and those of other species, and to provide a basis for future physiological studies. Duct length, surface areas and volumes of various components of the ducts were determined. Values were subsequently used to calculate net fluxes of fluid across the duct epithelium, spermatozoal velocity and the distribution of spermatozoa throughout the system. It was concluded that the extratesticular spermatic ducts are divided into 2 main parts: (1) the ductuli efferentes where spermatozoa spend a brief period (8 minutes) and which are adapted for considerable net fluid reabsorption (100 microliters/cm2/h), and (2) the connecting ducts, ductus epididymidis and ductus deferens where spermatozoa spend a longer period (24 hours) and which are involved in little net fluid transport (0.14-2.1 microliter/cm2/h). Most spermatozoa (92.3%) are located in the ductus deferens. The velocity of spermatozoal transport is much the same through the quail spermatic ducts (0.37 mm/min) as through the mammalian epididymis, the difference between classes in the duration of spermatozoal transport being due to differences in the distance that they travel. In a comparison between estimates of spermatozoal concentration using stereological methods and direct counts of spermatozoa in samples collected using micropuncture procedures it was concluded that both methods gave similar results.