الفهرس Only 14 pages are availabe for public view
 |  | from | 138 |  |  |
| | | from | 138 | | |
Abstract
In the present study, two species of leeches; Barbronia
assiuti and Salifa delicata were collected seasonally from El-Sont
canal in Assiut. Some of these leeches were fixed in formol
calcium for histological study and the remaining leeches (about 80
specimens) were kept deep-frozen at -20°C for biochemical study.
The histological study included the determination of
number of testisacs and stages of testisacs and ovisacs as well as
structure and type of clitellar gland cells seasonally in the two
species, by using number of stains [eosin- haematoxalin- Schiff
and toluidin blue]. The samples were examined by light
microscope following by electron microscope.
In the present study, three types of clitellar gland cells
were observed in both species Barbronia assiuti and Salifa
delicata. This difference in type can be detected by the size of
granules which were observed by electron microscope and by the
different of degree of toluidin blue stain which give pink, faint
and deep blue color. Different numbers of testisacs were detected
seasonally through serial longitudinal sections when stages of
testisacs and ovisacs became stable in the most seasons except in
winter in the two species. High levels of spermatogonia were
observed in summer in Barbronia assiuti and in autumn in Salifa
delicata.
The biochemically study, lipid peroxidation (LPO), total
peroxides (TP) (oxidative stress), glutathione (GSH), superoxide dismutase (SOD) (antioxidants), total protein (TPr), total lipid
(TL) and carbohydrate (energy reserves) were seasonally
determined in total body weight.
The results indicated that there are seasonal variations in
each of these parameters. The rise of oxidative stress and
antioxidant may be associated with the increase in testisac number
in both species. Also, the caloric values were shown to increas in
summer, probably due to the availability of food and may be
related to the high demand of energy during active
spermatogenesis.
The present study suggests that the histological and
biochemical changes occurring seasonally in the two species may
be related to alterations in number of testisacs, day length,
temperature, food availability and oxygen level of water.