F. Hernández y Juan F. Madrid. Universidad de Murcia. Departamento de Biología Celular e Histología
Abstract
This study sought to chart the morphological
changes taking place in the goat abomasum during
prenatal development, using histomorphometric and
immunohistochemical techniques. A total of 140 goat
embryos and fetuses, from the first stages of prenatal life
until birth. Differentiation of the abomasum as a separate
compartment of the primitive gastric tube was observed
at 35 days of prenatal life (CRL 3 cm, 23% gestation).
Primitive abomasal folds were first observed at 38 days
(CRL 4.3 cm, 25% gestation). The muscularis mucosae
was visible by 64 days (CRL 13.5 cm, 43% gestation).
Transformation of pseudostratified epithelium to simple
cylindrical epithelium was also observed at this stage.
Differentiation of gastric pits and glands first became
apparent at 75 days (CRL 17.5 cm, 50% gestation) and
84 days (CRL 20 cm, 55% gestation), respectively.
Neuroendocrine cells were detected by synaptophysin
(SYP) at 64 days (CRL 13.5 cm, 43% gestation), while
glial cell markers (glial fibrillary acidic protein - GFAP,
and vimentin-VIM) were observed at 64 days (CRL 13.5
cm, 43% gestation) and 38 days (CRL 4.3 cm, 25%
gestation), respectively. Neuropeptide Y (NPY) and
vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP) were detected at
75 days (CRL 17.5 cm, 50% gestation). Gastrinimmunoreactive
cells first appeared in the abomasum at
76 days (CRL 18 cm, 50% gestation). In conclusion,
prenatal development of the abomasum appears to take
place somewhat earlier in goats than in sheep or cattle,
but at a similar rate to that reported in wild ruminants
such as deer