Three-dimensional reconstruction and anatomy of human epididymal duct

MA Yu-bo CHEN Juan ZHAI Xiao-qiang ZHANG Tong-dian CHONG Tie WANG Zi-ming ZHAO Jun

Acta Anatomica Sinica ›› 2021, Vol. 52 ›› Issue (6) : 960-965.

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Acta Anatomica Sinica ›› 2021, Vol. 52 ›› Issue (6) : 960-965. DOI: 10.16098/j.issn.0529-1356.2021.06.020
Anatomy

Three-dimensional reconstruction and anatomy of human epididymal duct

  • MA Yu-bo  CHEN Juan  ZHAI Xiao-qiang  ZHANG Tong-dian  CHONG Tie WANG Zi-ming*  ZHAO Jun*
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Abstract

Objective  Based on the techniques of continual tissue slices, the human epididymis was rebuilt for understanding the anatomical and histological features of the epididymal ducts.    Methods  Continuous tissue slices of one human epididymis were performed and digital slice images were obtained through scanning with Leica-Aperio AT2; the pipe wall of epididymal duct was aligned in sequence with Photoshop CC 2018 software and VGStudio MAX V3.0 software was used for three-dimensional synthesis. Finally, the later modification was carried out with Materialise Magics V22.0 software. Another human epididymis was used for electron microscopy. The histological features of epididymal ducts were analysed by combining slices and three-dimensional reconstruction.    Results  A total of 4331 and 543 slices in transverse and sagittal section respectively were prepared with a thickness of 7 μm. According to the three-dimensional structure, regional distribution of human epididymal duct could be found obviously and the caput, corpus and cauda of epididymis could be clearly divided into 7, 9 and 4 subregions respectively. There were tissue intervals among adjacent subregions and epididymal ducts were disordered within each subregion, but differences were existed in tubular diameter and epithelial structure, and adjacent subregions were connected by single epididymal duct in the corpus and cauda.    Conclusion  The human epididymal duct can be successfully reconstructed by continual tissue slices technique. The human epididymal duct has regional distribution in space obviously and there are differences between different subregions.

Key words

Epididymal duct / Three-dimensional reconstruction / HE staining / Electron microscopy / Human

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MA Yu-bo CHEN Juan ZHAI Xiao-qiang ZHANG Tong-dian CHONG Tie WANG Zi-ming ZHAO Jun. Three-dimensional reconstruction and anatomy of human epididymal duct[J]. Acta Anatomica Sinica. 2021, 52(6): 960-965 https://doi.org/10.16098/j.issn.0529-1356.2021.06.020

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