الفهرس 
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Abstract
This investigation occurred out on the epididymis of apparently health sexually
mature one humped camel. The epididymis was composed of the efferent ductules and the
epididymal duct. The efferent ductules were lined with columnar cells (ciliated and non
ciliated) and basal cells. The columnar ciliated cells possessed long motile cilia and
microvilli. The columnar non ciliated cells exhibited apical cytoplasmic protrusions with
microvilli, numerous vesicles, vacuoles and mitochondria that increased during spring
season. The epididymal duct was dividied into initial, middle and terminal segments. The
middle segment was subdivided into proximal, intermediate and distal parts. The terminal
segment was further subdivided into proximal and distal parts. The epididymal duct
showed significant seasonal changes in the total diameter, epithelial height, length of
stereocilia, luminal diameter, thickness of peritubular muscular coat and the cellular
distribution. The values of these elements were increase during spring season in
comparison with other seasons. The epididymal duct was lined by a pseudostratified
columnar epithelium, which composed of five cell types; principal, basal, apical, dark and
halo cells. The nuclei of the principal cells were euchromatic at spring season and
heterochromatic during other seasons. The organelles and inclusions of the principal cells
were more developed and abundant during spring season. The principal cells had
microvilli and apical cytoplasmic protrusions which became more numerous during spring
season. The lateral plasma membrane of the principal cells possessed occluding junctional
complex which formed a main part of the blood-epididymal barrier.The basal, apical, dark
and halo cells did not show ultrastructural seasonal changes. The stereocilia of the
epididymal epithelium exhibited PAS and Alcian blue (pH2.5) positive reactions. The
PAS positive granules and globules were encountered in the cytoplasm of the principal
cells particularly during spring season. The luminal contents, stereocilia, subepithelial
connective tissue and blood vessels of the epididymal duct showed intense alkaline
phosphatase enzyme reactivity especially during spring season.