A comparative histological, histometrical and hormonal study between the ovary and uterus of non-pregnant and pregnant local breed cat (Catus felius)

Abstract

Samples of the ovary and uterus of local breed cats used to investigate the histological, histometrical and hormonal features. The paraffin embedding technique was used for processing of tissue that stained by hematoxyline and eosin stain, and massons trichrom stain. Ovary of at proestrus or oestrus phases composed of outer cortex that covered by cuboidal germinal epithelium and inner medulla. Tunica albuginea composed of a thin layer of characterized by fusiform stromal cells. The cortex content groups of Oogonial cells, numerous primordial follicles, little primary, secondary and tertiary follicles in addition for 1-2 follicular cysts and mature corpus letium. In pregnant cat the thickness of ovarian cortex was significantly increased (P.< 0.05) at the 2nd and 3rd term of pregnancy, the cortex containing all types of the follicles which revealed marked regression with lysis of oocytes, in addition for 2-3 corpus letium,  thickness of all types of follicles was significantly increased (P.<0.05) at 3rd term of pregnancy. Endometrium of non-pregnant cat was covered by simple columnar to cuboidal epithelial cells. Lamina propria revealed marked hyperplasia of fibroblasts in addition for fibrocytes and active tubular uterine glands. During pregnancy, the uterus displayed 2-3 fetues with their zonary placenta of hemochoriodal type. The maternal part was formed by the basalis decidua and the fetal part composed by chorionic villi that composed of central blood vessels followed by a layer of stromal areolar connective tissue then a multinucleated syncytial cells. Basalis decidua had numerous veins and arteries that emerged within inter villous space forming wide blood channels. The statistical analysis showed significant increased (P<0.05) thickness of endometrium during period of pregnancy, meanwhile the thickness of endometrium, myometrium and epithelial height significantly increased during period of non-pregnancy.