Age-related characterization of endocrine products of Altai maral (Cervus elaphus sibiricus Severtzov, 1872): a comparative analysis

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the suitability of different age periods to select endocrine products from red deer by characterizing the morphological and physiological indicators of their testes, adrenals, and thyroid glands. We used classical histological, morphometric, and statistical methods to analyze the functional state of the endocrine glands in red deer aged 1.5 to 2.5 years, 6 to 10 years, and 13 to 18 years. Our findings showed that the morphometric indicators of the functional state of these glands exhibit specific dynamics for each age period. We also analyzed age-related characteristics of the functional state of these glands for the first time in order to identify their potential as additional products in deer breeding. Our results demonstrated that all glands remain functionally active throughout the study age periods and can be used as endocrine raw materials in deer breeding. Furthermore, we did not observe evident destructive changes in the structure of these glands with age, which distinguishes them from other mammalian species, such as reindeer. The preservation of normal functioning of the testes and adrenal cortex may be specific to the technology used to keep deer. When selecting endocrine raw materials for the pharmaceutical industry, our results suggest that the optimal age to collect testes and adrenal glands is between 6 and 10 years, while that of the thyroid gland is 1.5 years. This coincides with the age periods in which the organs exhibit the highest functional activity. In summary, our study provides valuable information on the morphological and physiological characteristics of endocrine products in red deer and identifies the most optimal age periods for their selection. Our analysis demonstrates that the functional activity of these glands varies depending on age and that they remain viable for use in the pharmaceutical industry