Effects of Total Mandibular Sialoadenectomy on the Biometry and Histologic Features of the Ovary of Rats

The effect of total surgical removal of the mandibular salivary glands (total mandibular sialoadenectomy) on the biometry and histologic features of the ovary was studied using 60 sexually mature Sprague-Dawley rats. The rats were randomly divided into three groups: intact, sham-operated and sialoadenectomized. Sixty days after sham operation and total mandibular sialoadenectomy of the second and third groups of rats, respectively, all the animals were sacrificed and the ovaries were collected in toto, measured for weight and diameter, fixed in 10% buffered formalin solution and processed using the paraffin technique. The tissue samples were cut at 5 μm and stained with H & E, Masson’s trichrome and Weigert’s stain. Results showed that the rat ovary is basically similar in structure to its counterpart in most mammals except for the sparse tunica albuginea and the deeper location of the primordial and primary follicles. Comparison of the three animal groups showed that the weight and diameter of the ovary did not vary significantly. Histologically, the ovary in the sialoadenectomized group showed distinct differences from the intact and sham-operated groups. These included a thicker medulla; and significantly higher number of primordial follicles, primary follicles, atretic follicles and corpora albicans, and significantly lower number of secondary follicles, mature follicles and corpora lutea. It is concluded that total mandibular sialoadenectomy in sexually mature virgin rats affected the histological features of the ovary. Key words: epidermal growth factor, mandibular salivary glands, ovary, mandibular sialoadenectomy, ovarian follicles