EN
The aim of the study was to determine whether the character of a histopathological change observed in the epididymis of a 13-year-old European bison male was neoplastic, inflammatory or proliferous. Samples from both testes and epididymes were collected. The material was fixed in Bouin’s fluid; 6 mm paraffin sections were stained with hematoxylin and eosin (H+E), as well as by Brachet’s method. Full blood samples were collected from the femoral artery (post mortem). Immunocytochemical reactions were performed by the EnVisionTM FLEX+ technique. Specific monoclonal mouse and polyclonal rabbit antibodies were used against: vimentin (No IS630); human cytokeratin (No IS053); human CD 34 (No IS632); human desmin (No IS606); human smooth muscle myosin heavy chain (No IS066); myogenin (No IS067); human muscle actin (No M0635) in a 1:50 dilution; human MyoD1 (No M3512) in a 1:50 dilution; human myeloid/histiocyte (No M0747) in a 1:100 dilution; human receptor Cd 68 (No IS609); S-100 (No IS504). Micromorphometric measurements were carried out to assess the extent of connective tissue hyperplasia in the epididymis. The histopathological change in the epididymis of the 13-year-old bull was progressive and caused by chronic inflammation, which was confirmed by the micromorphometric analysis and the evidence of plasma cells and connective tissue hyperplasia. Immunohistochemical staining carried out to find vimentine receptors showed mesenchymatic cells forming disseminated foci in the epididymis. The appearance of the cells that made up the microgranulomas indicated their epithelioid nature. These transformed macrophages were devoid of the typical receptors Cd68 and Mac 387. However, the presence of spermatozoa in the foci suggested their phagocytic properties. Damage to the canaliculi of the epididymis and their phagocytosis could have been caused by an unknown proinflammatory factor. It is also likely that the destruction was induced by epithelioid cell proteins, which resulted in a dislocation of sperm to the epididymal stroma.