Abstract
Abstract: Histology, lectin histochemistry and ultrastructure of interdigital gland in sheep was studied using six adult cross bred sheep of either sex collected from the Meat Technology Unit, College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Mannuthy. The manus and pes were detached from the rest of limbs and after recording the gross observations, the interdigital glands were fixed in 10 per cent neutral buffered formalin and processed for histological examinations. Stratified squamous epithelium with a prominent keratin layer lined the lumen, similar to the skin over the dorsal surface of manus and pes. The epidermis presented mucosal folds, which projected into the lumen. The dermis contained small sebaceous glands, hair follicles of different sizes, arrector pili muscles and apocrine sweat glands. The secretory epithelium of sweat glands was lined with a simple layer of cuboidal and relatively flattened cells. The excretory ducts of these glands were lined by cuboidal cells, with darker appearance than its secretory portion. The fibrous capsule was composed of dense connective tissue with collagen, adipose cells, blood vessels and nerve fibers. Glandular secretion and the granules in the stratum granolosum of the surface squamous epithelium showed positive reaction for lectin Ulex europaeus (UEA-I). The apocrine nature of sweat glands was revealed in the ultrastructural studies by scanning electron microscope. Keywords: Interdigital gland, sheep, histology, lectin histochemistry and ultrastructure
Highlights
Scent glands are exocrine glands found in most mammals
In ungulates or hoofed mammals, the communication of reproductive information is thought to be accomplished by odours associated with cutaneous glands localized to specific areas (Konig and Liebich, 2007)
Roe deer and Japanese serow the glandular secreted material is inside a pouch with a hair-covered excreting duct, from which secretion trickles (Sivachelvan et al, 1992), but in other species this gland is merely a form of skin fold (Pocock, 1910)
Summary
Scent glands are exocrine glands found in most mammals. They produce semiviscous secretions which contain pheromones and other chemical compounds. Roe deer and Japanese serow the glandular secreted material is inside a pouch with a hair-covered excreting duct, from which secretion trickles (Sivachelvan et al, 1992), but in other species this gland is merely a form of skin fold (Pocock, 1910) This gland produces the apocrine and holocrine types of secretion where either the apical cytoplasm or the whole cellular content is expelled as secretion respectively. The odorous signals and pheromones produced by these scent glands play essential biological roles in the conspecific chemical messages including active territorial delimitation and in the manifestation of social behavior including breeding These foot glands may be related to alternative functions, such as secretion of a waste product or a scent marker to help lost sheep find their flock (Parillo and Diverio, 2009). The present study was carried out to elucidate the gross, histological, lectin histochemical and ultrastructural characteristics of interdigital glands in crossbred sheep
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