PRENATAL DEVELOPMENT OF OVIDUCT IN THE SURTI BUFFALO

Oviducts from clinically healthy Surti buffalo foetuses (55) were stud ied at 7 different phases of prenatal life, ranging from 41 to 305 day s (2.8 to 102.5 cm CVR). The first evidence of formation of oviduct wa s observed in 41 days (2.8 cm CVR) embryos as an invagination of the c oelomic epithelium at the anterolateral aspect of the mesonephros - th e open Mullerian groove. It became a tubular structure at 46 days (3.8 cm CVR) of gestation acid was located within the mesonephric fold. Th e primary, secondary and tertiary oviductal mucosal folds appeared at 94 days (14.5 cm CVR), 158 days (37.5 cm CVR) and 191 days (52.0 cm CV R) foetuses, respectively. A circular condensation and differentiation of the mesenchyme around the duct was noticed in 50 days (4.8 cm CVR) embryos, which progressed with advancing gestational age. Mucosa, mus cularis and serosa could be identified at 128 days (24.0 cm CVR) and r esembled that of adult organ at 191 days(52.0 cm CVR) foetuses. The av erage number and height of primary mucosal folds and the thickness of oviductal tunics revealed an increasing trend with advancing foetal ag e.