Abstract
The cells of the male gonads are considered as a valuable genetic material for the conservation of the gene pool of breeds and lines of agricultural birds, as well as the directed modification of the poultry genome. Mature germ cells – spermatozoa and their predecessors – spermatogonia, spermatocytes and spermatids can be used for these purposes. To obtain these types of cells, it is necessary to know the characteristics of their development (spermatogenesis). The dynamics of the development of certain spermatogenic cell types in the testicular tubules of different-aged roosters has been studied. Histological studies were performed on testes of roosters aged from 1 week to 6 months with an interval of 2 weeks. Samples of testis tissue were fixed in Bouin’s solution. Histological sections were stained with hematoxylin-eosin. Identification of different cell types (Sertoli, spermatogonia, spermatocytes, spermatids, sperm cells) was carried out according to their morphology. At the age of 1–6 weeks in the seminiferous tubule of roosters, the mainly presence of two cell types was noted: Sertoli cells and spermatogonia. From 7 weeks of age, spermatocytes were detected in the seminiferous tubules, in the 4 months - spermatids, in the 5.5 months - sperm cells. The number of Sertoli cells remained almost unchanged with age and was 21 ± 2. The percentage of these cells decreased with age from 71 ± 3 % to 5 ± 1 %. The percentage of spermatogonia also decreased with age from 75 ± 2 % to 7 ± 1 %. The number of spermatids and spermatozoa, on the contrary, increased to puberty (6 months) and reached 54 %. The study was supported by the RFBR within Project no.18-29-07079.