Abstract
The present study was conducted to evaluate the morphological and vascular changes of corpus luteum in relation to
functional status of reproductive system in Nili-Ravi buffalo (Bubalus bubalis). Blood samples and ovaries of 24 adult cyclic
Nili-Ravi buffaloes were collected from the local abattoir of Faisalabad for this study. After the morphometry of both
ovaries, corpora lutea were enucleated and luteal tissue was processed by routine paraffin tissue technique and stained with
Hematoxylin-Eosin and Periodic Acid-Schiff (PAS) techniques. Mean weight of corpus luteum was 1.23±0.22, 3.15±0.10,
2.25±0.32 and 1.89±0.31g during the metestrus, early diestrus, late diestrus and proestrus/estrus, respectively. The plasma
progesterone concentration was 1.68±0.37, 4.29±0.22, 3.89±0.33 and 0.34±0.14ng/ml while mean vascular density (mean
number of vessels/10 microscopic fields at 400x) in corpus luteum was 6.33±0.99, 18.00±0.86, 11.50±0.76 and 2.83±0.60
during the metestrus, early diestrus, late diestrus and proestrus/estrus, respectively. Positive correlation (r=0.936, p<0.05)
was ascertained between plasma progesterone concentration and vascular density. In conclusion, morphology of corpus
luteum, its angiogenic changes and plasma progesterone concentration are positively correlated. Moreover, the ovary offers
an excellent system to study physiologic angiogenesis and vascular regression. Clinical veterinary medicine may profit from
understanding these control mechanisms. As a result, new methods to regulate fertility and new therapeutic options for
angiogenesis-dependent diseases may be created.
