Studies on morphology of hypothalamus in bactrian camels (Camelus bactrianus)

Abstract

A study on hypothalamus in bactrian camel was done by anatomical, histological and ultrastructural observation and was compared with other artiodactyls. The anatomical results showed that the hypothalamus of bactrian camel can be divided into 3 parts which included the supraoptic, tuberal and mammillary. It was about 2.4 g in weight, 0.42% of the brain and 2 cm(3) in volume and 0.45% of the brain. It had a typical histological structure, which can be divided into 3 zones from the inside out: periventricular, intermediate and lateral zones. The hypothalamus consisted of neurons, neuroglia cells and nerve fibres. Most of the neurons possessed the characteristic of glandular epithelium, in which the neurosecretory granules associated with secretory function can be found by electron microscope. Most of cells in hypothalamus were small neuroglial cells and lateral zone had mainly the longitudinal nerve fibres that were mostly myelinated. Furthermore, the hypothalamus was a brain structure made up of distinct nuclei, as well as less anatomically distinct areas. Our present result indicated that the typical morphological structure of the hypothalamus and the general level of development of the neocortex gave the bactrian camel moderate ability to process and utilise complex information.