The anatomy of the male genital ducts in the fowl

Abstract The epididymis in the male bird consists of the rete testis, ductuli efferentia, and epididymal tubules. The rete testis is lined with cuboidal epithelium not resting on a basement membrane. When distended with sperm the epithelium appears squamous‐like. The tubuli efferentia are lined for the most part with pseudostratied ciliated columnar epithelium resting on a basement membrane. The epithelium is thrown into permanent longitudinal ridges. The epididymal tubules are lined with ciliated columnar epithelium resting on a bastment membrane. The three types of genital ducts are intermingled to some extent, but maintain a definite sequence in their connection with one another. The rete testis drains into the tubuli efferentia, and the latter into the epididymal tubules. These drain into the vas deferens.