Journal of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences
(ISSN: 2659 – 0743)
Volume 5, No. 2, 2023
Pages 1-7
DOI: 10.36108/jvbs/3202.50.0210
Histomorphological Changes in the Ovary of African giant rat (Cricetomys gambianus, WATERHOUSE – 1840) subjected to Different light/dark cycles
Mansur Zubairu1, Magdalene Nkweshi Ali1, Akpan Dominic Umosen1, Oritsejafor Abiyere Ese1, Tauheed Abubakar Muazu2, Abdullahi Baso2*
1Department of Veterinary Anatomy, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria-Nigeria.
2Department of Veterinary Anatomy, Bayero University, Kano-Nigeria
ABSTRACT
The present study was undertaken to investigate the effect of photoperiod on the ovary of African giant rats (AGR), Cricetomys gambianus. A total of 15 captive African giant rats from the wild served as subjects. The rats were randomized into three photoperiodic treatment groups of five rats each. Groups I, II and III were the control (12 hours of darkness (12D), 12 hours of light (12L); total darkness (24D: 0L) and total light (0D: 24L), respectively. The rats were humanely euthanized, and ovaries collected at 4 weeks and 8 weeks of sacrifice for routine histological examination and histomorphometry. Cystic follicles were observed in the ovaries of AGR exposed to constant light. Again, continuous lighting exposure significantly increased (p < 0.05) the ovarian follicular diameter when compared with the control. In conclusion, the findings of this study indicate that continuous light exposure could have significant effect in follicular cyst formation in AGR.
Keywords: African giant rat, Photoperiod, Ovary, Histomorphology