Abstract

Investigation into testicular and epididymal differential expression of certain proteins using immunohistochemistry during the wet and dry seasons of the year has been carried out in Epomops franqueti in Ibadan, South-West, Nigeria. It was imperative to fill the gap of information created by the scarcity of documentation on seasonal changes in the efferent ducts of E. franqueti during the seasons of the year in Ibadan. The efferent duct of E. franqueti was studied using light microscope. Five adult male bats per month for a period of a year were used for this study. The bats were trapped using mist net and acclimatized in the animal house for five days with access to portable water, and Almond fruits. The bats were anaesthetized using ketamine, 25 mg/kg body weight (intramuscularly) sacrificed, organ harvested and processed for histology and histo-morphometry in paraffin section. Ductal and luminal diameter, epithelial height and cilia length were measured. Efferent duct immunoreactivities to Cytokeratin AE1 (CTK), α-Smooth Muscle Actin (αSMA) and S-100 proteins were investigated using immunohistochemistry. Digital colorimetric software was used to quantify protein intensity. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics and ANOVA at α = 0.05 and mean values during the wet and dry seasons were subjected to Student t-test.  Histomorphometry showed no statistically significant difference (P<0.05) between the means of efferent duct parameters measured during the wet and dry seasons respectively. There was statistically significant difference (P<0.05) in the seasonal efferent duct immunoreactivities to CTK, αSMA and S-100 proteins. E. franqueti efferent duct showed seasonal changes

Keywords: Epomops franqueti, Efferent duct, Immunohistochemistry, Seasonal study, Changes, Seasonal breeder.