Renal sexual segment of the Cottonmouth snake, Agkistrodon piscivorous (Reptilia, Squamata, Viperidae)

The seasonal variation of the renal sexual segment (RSS) of males of the Cottonmouth snake, Agkistrodon piscivorous, is described using light and electron microscopy. This study is the first to describe the ultrastructure of the RSS of a viper (Viperidae) and only the fourth on a snake. Renal sexual...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of morphology (1931) 2008-06, Vol.269 (6), p.640-653
Main Authors: Sever, David M., Siegel, Dustin S., Bagwill, April, Eckstut, Mallory E., Alexander, Laura, Camus, Angelle, Morgan, Colby
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Agkistrodon
Agkistrodon - anatomy & histology
Animals
Female
Kidney - ultrastructure
Male
Reptilia
Seasons
Sex Characteristics
sexual segment
ultrastructure
Viperidae
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Summary:The seasonal variation of the renal sexual segment (RSS) of males of the Cottonmouth snake, Agkistrodon piscivorous, is described using light and electron microscopy. This study is the first to describe the ultrastructure of the RSS of a viper (Viperidae) and only the fourth on a snake. Renal sexual segments from males collected February to May and from August to November are similar in appearance. The cells are eosinophilic and react with periodic acid/Schiff procedure (PAS) for neutral carbohydrates and bromphenol blue (BB) for proteins. At the ultrastructure level, the cells contain large (2 μm diameter), electron‐dense secretory granules and smaller vesicles with a diffuse material, and these structures abut against the luminal border and upon clear vacuoles continuous with intercellular canaliculi. Evidence was found for both apocrine and merocrine processes of product release. In June and July, the RSS are significantly smaller in diameter, largely basophilic, and have only scattered granules that are PAS+ and BB+. Cytologically, the RSS from June to July lack electron‐dense secretory granules and the smaller vesicles with diffuse material. Numerous condensing vacuoles and abundant rough endoplasmic reticulum, however, indicate that active product synthesis is occurring. This is the first report of significant seasonal variation in the histology and ultrastructure of the RSS of a snake, although such reports exist for lizards. The seasons when the RSS is most highly hypertrophied correspond to the fall and spring mating seasons of A. piscivorous, as determined by other studies. J. Morphol., 2008. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
ISSN:0362-2525
1097-4687
DOI:10.1002/jmor.10599