Histomorphometric Analysis of the Endometrium of Jennies (Equus asinus) and Mares (Equus caballus) in Estrus: Anatomical Differences and Possible Reproductive Implications

Abstract

Assisted reproductive techniques are often extrapolated from horses to donkeys, despite poorer fertility outcomes in jennies. This issue has been attributed to unknown uterine species-specific differences. This study compared, through histomorphometry, the endometrium of jennies and mares. Endometrial biopsies (N = 12) were taken from reproductively sound jennies (n = 6) and mares (n = 6) in estrus. Histomorphometric analysis evaluated luminal (LE, µm) and glandular epithelium height (GE, µm), glandular lumen diameter (LD, µm), glandular area (GA, µm2), the number of glands (#G), and glandular tissue percentage (GT, %), measured in the stratum compactum (SC) and spongiosum (SS). A total of 30 measurements of glandular size parameters and 10 fields of glandular density parameters per sample were recorded. Results were statistically compared between species (jennies vs. mares), parity status (maiden vs. foaling), and stratum (SC vs. SS). Jennies exhibited higher (p < 0.05) values than mares for LE, LD-SC, GA-SC, and GT-SC. These findings suggest that the histomorphometric features observed in reproductively sound jennies reflect anatomical differences that might partly explain previously observed species differences in post-breeding uterine response. In conclusion, histomorphometry revealed significant endometrial differences between species, with jennies displaying taller luminal epithelium, greater glandular size, and higher glandular tissue percentage in the SC than mares.