Original Research

Functional anatomy of the lacrimal gland in African black ostrich Struthio camelus domesticus in the embryonic and postnatal period

Joanna Klećkowska-Nawrot, Karolina Goździewska-Harłajczuk, Renata Nowaczyk, Krzysztof Krasucki
Onderstepoort Journal of Veterinary Research | Vol 82, No 1 | a872 | DOI: https://doi.org/10.4102/ojvr.v82i1.872 | © 2015 Joanna Klećkowska-Nawrot, Karolina Goździewska-Harłajczuk, Renata Nowaczyk, Krzysztof Krasucki | This work is licensed under CC Attribution 4.0
Submitted: 21 August 2014 | Published: 25 March 2015

About the author(s)

Joanna Klećkowska-Nawrot, Department of Animal Physiology and Biostructure, University of Environmental and Life Sciences, Poland
Karolina Goździewska-Harłajczuk, Department of Animal Physiology and Biostructure, University of Environmental and Life Sciences, Poland
Renata Nowaczyk, Department of Animal Physiology and Biostructure, University of Environmental and Life Sciences, Poland
Krzysztof Krasucki, Department of Descriptive and Clinical Anatomy, Centre of Biostructure Research, Medical University of Warsaw, Poland

Abstract

The aim of the present study was morphological and histochemical analysis of the lacrimalgland (LG) in African black ostrich Struthio camelus domesticus in the embryonic and postnatalperiod. Studies were conducted on 50 ostriches aged between the 28th day of incubation until7 months old. Tissue sections were stained with haematoxylin and eosin, Azan trichrome,periodic acid-Schiff, Alcian blue pH 2.5, aldehyde fuchsin and Hale’s dialysed iron. The LGin ostrich was classified as a tubulo-acinar type. The primordia of the lobes were determinedin the LG structure on the 28th day of incubation, whilst the weakly visible lobes with aciniand tubules were observed on the 40th day of incubation. Morphometric studies of the LGshowed steady growth, characterised by an increase in both length and width. Histometricmeasurements of lobe size showed little difference between the first, second and third agegroups, whilst in the fourth age group a marked increase in size of lobes was observed.The study showed that, apart from morphological changes, during the growth of the LGthe character of acid mucopolysaccharides changed. Sulphated acid mucopolysaccharideswere indicated, particularly with aldehyde fuchsin (AF) staining in the fourth age group.The Hale’s dialysed iron (HDI) staining showed a low concentration of carboxylated acidmucopolysaccharides in the first and second age groups and a higher concentration in thethird and fourth age groups. Periodic acid-Schiff staining (PAS)-positive cells were observedin each age group, but only a small number of cells with a weakly PAS-positive reaction weredemonstrated in the first age group.


Keywords

African black ostrich, lacrimal gland, eye accessory organs diseases

Metrics

Total abstract views: 4572
Total article views: 8332

 

Crossref Citations

1. Conjunctival mucinous adenocarcinoma in an ostrich (Struthio camelus)
Kathryn L. Perrin, Mads F. Bertelsen, Henrik Bartholin, Carsten Grøndahl, Steffen Heegaard
Veterinary Ophthalmology  vol: 20  issue: 6  first page: 547  year: 2017  
doi: 10.1111/vop.12408