Repositorio Académico

The aim of this study was to determine some stereological parameters of the glands of the prostatic complex in the rabbit and thereby setting the basis for future morphofunctional studies. Five rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus), males, adults, clinically healthy and mantained in the Biotery of the Faculty of Medicine of the Universidad de La Frontera, Temuco, Chile, were used. The pelvic region was dissected and the prostatic complex of the other glands was isolated. The samples were fixed in Bouin solution for 24 hours and processed for inclusion in paraplast. Serial cuts of 5mm which were stained with hematoxilin eosin for stereological analysis. The results showed that the prostatic complex of the rabbit was composed of four glands: prostate (cranial to vesicular gland), proprostate (caudal to vesicular gland and cranial to the prostate) and two paraprostates (inferior and lateral to the prostate). The average of the glandular cells in the prostate was 7,3 × 106/mm3 (S. D. 1,8 × 106); in the proprostate was 10,33 × 106/mm3 (S. D. 2,45 × 106); in the right paraprostate was 13,57 × 106/mm3 (S. D. 2,84 × 106) and in the left paraprostate was 11,91 × 106/mm3 (S. D. 2,97 × 106). The percentage average of the glandular cells in the prostate was 14,12% (S. D. 3,01); in the proprostate was 13,56% (S. D. 3,13); in the right paraprostate was 18,80% (S. D. 3,04) and in the left paraprostate was 18,59% (S. D. 3,43). The gland of the prostatic complex show morphological differences among themselves and in particular, its stereological aspects, with paraprostates which showed an increased number of glandular cells and higher percentage of glandular tissue (similar to the bulbourethral gland), which could indicate that each of the glands of this complex plays specific functional roles in the reproductives processes.