The Vomeronasal organ in Buffalo

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ted, pseudostratified columnar in morphology with many goblet cells ... tionality in humans (Lindsay et al 1978., Roslinski et al., 2000 and Salazar et al., 1997).By.
The Vomeronasal organ in Buffalo M. Abbasi Department of Basic Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Lorestan, Khorramabad, Iran Corresponding author: M. Abbasi, Department of Basic Sciences, School of Veterinary medicine, University of Lorestan, Khorram-Abad, Iran - Tel. +986613215004 - Fax: +986614600109 - Email: [email protected]

abstract: This study was conducted to investigate anatomical and histological structure of vomeronasal organ in buffalo. To perform this, fifty one heads from buffalo were used. From anatomical point of view, the mean length of vno was 189±15 mm. This organ is encapsulated in an incomplete cartilaginous capsule. Concerning the histological structure, two different epithelium were lined the vno lumen; pseudostratified ciliated columnar epithelium in lateral wall and pseudostratified nonciliated columnar in medial wall. Key words: Vomeronasal, Histology, Buffalo. INTRODUCTION - The vomeronasal organ (VNO), through detecting pheromones has an important role in many social behaviors and sexual reactions in mammals (Abdolmaali et al.,2001; Adams and Wiekamp,1984;Ardalani et al.,2000 and Bargman,1997). The VNO has been studied in many species including horses, sheep, goats, cows, dogs, cats, bats, minks, mice and humans (Adams and Wiekamp, 1984; Bargman, 1997;Booth and Katz, 2000; Curtis et al., 2001; Doring and Troitier, 1998 and Holy et al., 2000). In many animals the VNO is connected to oral cavity by incisive duct, but in some animals such as horses the incisive duct is blindend and as a result the VNO is opened to nasal cavity (Adams and Wiekamp,1984; Doring and Troitier, 1998 and Kumar et al., 1992). The shape and size of the VNO varies among different animals (Adams and Wiekamp, 1984; Curtis et al., 2001 and Holy et al., 2000). MATERIAL AND METHODS - In this study 51 heads of adult and healthy buffalo were used. To measure the length of the VNO, several transversal cuts were made through the proximal region of incisive tubercle and repeated consecutiely until to the region that no macroscopic signs of the VNO could be found. To survey the histology of the VNO, 4 heads of buffalo were prepared. After removing unrelated surrounding tissues from the VNOs, they were fixed in 10% formalin and then decalcified using nitric acid. The samples were then processed for paraffin embedding and serially sectioned at 7 μm and the sections were stained with hematoxylin-eosin. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS - The number of palatine ridges in samples that were examined varies between 14 and 16. In most samples the end of the VNO was situated in vicinity of the second cheek tooth. The mean length of the VNO from the incisive openings to the end of the organ, where the cartilaginous capsule disappears, was 189 mm (± 15 mm).By placing a cutter in incisive openings which are located on either sides of incisive Ital.J.Anim.Sci.

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VIII World Buffalo Congress Figure 1.

VNO consists of two blind-ending tubes which are situated on either sides of the base of nasal septum (NS) and enclosed with cartilaginous capsule.

NS

Figure 2.

Lateral walls of the vno lumen (L) are lined by a ciliated pseudostratified columnar epithelium. H&E staining, X400.

tubercle, it was indicated that the VNO is connected to oral cavity via incisive ducts.It was observed that the VNO from its tip, where incisive openings were located backward , a pear shape cartilaginous capsule encloses the organ, but this capsule is not complete (Figure1). Microscopic examinations showed that the cartilaginous capsule that surrounded organ paranchym (included epithelium, blood vessels, nerves and connective tissues) in most of it’s length is incompleted in lateral side. The gap between capsule and its epithelium is filled by a loose connective tissue containing blood vessels, nerves and glands. The epithelial tissue lining the lateral wall is ciliated, pseudostratified columnar in morphology with many goblet cells (Figure 2). The glands existing in submucosa region are tubuloacinar with mucous secretions and their secretory canals open into the VNO lumen. The medial wall’s epithelium is nonciliated, pseudostratified columnar without goblet cells (Figure 3). The VNO in most mammals is characterized as two parallel tubes that lie on both sides of the base of the nasal septum (Abdolmaali et al., 2001; Adams and

Figure 3.

The medial wall of the vno lumen (L) is lined by a nonciliated pseudostratified columnar epithelium. H&E staining, X400. L

L

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VIII World Buffalo Congress Wiekamp,1984; Booth and Katz,2000; Meredith,2001;Miller and Guzke,1999 and Powers and Winans,1975).In longitudinal profile, this organ has a tube-like morphology and its size varies among different species. It has been reported that in animals like cows, pigs, horses, sheep, the capsule is not complete (Knetch et al.,2001 and Lindsay et al 1978). In buffalo the cartilaginous capsule is incomplete and the open ends of the capsules lie in different regions of its length. In animals, the cartilaginous capsule displays miscellaneous morphologies (oval, pear-shaped and triangular) in cross profile in different regions of the organ (Abdolmaali et al.,2001; Curtis et al.,2001;Knetch et al.,2001 and Lindsay et al 1978). This study indicated that the VNO communicates with the oral cavity via the incisive openings which are located on both sides of incisive tubercle (behind the dental pad). The VNO length varies in different animals so that the length of this organ from the point of incisive openings to its posterior end has been reported to be 50-60 mm in dogs (Adams and Wiekamp,1984), 150-200 mm in cows, 120-150 mm in horses, 15 mm in rabbits (Adams and Wiekamp,1984 and Meredith, 2001;). In current research, we showed that VNO length is 189 mm in buffaloes in average. It has been confirmed that the VNO persists in humans, but its frequency has been variable in different reports. In one report, the VNO has been shown to exist in 75% of the examined samples, but the bilateral VNO has been observed only in 40% of the investigated samples. In general, it has been concluded that the VNO does not persist in all humans and although there are some evidences that suggest this organ in functional, there is no unanimous consistency among workers about its functionality in humans (Lindsay et al 1978., Roslinski et al., 2000 and Salazar et al., 1997).By using MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) technique it has been shown that in humans the VNO duct is composed a tubular structure with the mean length of 7 mm (ranging from 3 to 22 mm) and its location varies considerably among individuals (Roslinski et al.,2000). The lumen of this organ is lined by two types of epithelium; a respiratory epithelium which lines its lateral wall, and a receptory epithelium that lines its medial wall (Adams and Wiekamp,1984; Bargman et al,1997;Booth and Katz,2000; Curtis et al., 2001; Holy et al., 2000; Hunter et al.,1984;Knetch et al., 2001 ; and Smith et al., 2001). In present survey it was revealed that the lateral wall of the lumen is lined by a ciliated pseudostratified columnar epithelium with goblet cells (Figs.2). The lumen medial wall was lined by a nonciliated pseudostratified columnar epithelium (Figs.3). The glands exist in the VNO submucosa were tubuloacinar and they empty their secretions into the VNO lumen via short ducts at varied locations around and through the VNO epithelium (Knetch et al.,2001). The type of secretions of these glands are mucus, serous or seromucus (Holy et al.,2000). In this research by using H&E staining it was revealed that these glands are mostly serous glands. The glands are more distributed within the lateral wall. Regarding its cue role in many behaviors in animals further investigation on histology of the VNO is essential. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS - I like to express my cordial thanks to Lorestan university authorities, particularly the research department for their generous financial support. REFERENCES - Abdolmaali , N.D., Kuhnau,D., Knecht,M., Kohler,K., Huttenbrink,K. B and Hummel,T., 2001. Imaging of the human vomeronasal duct.Chem Senses,26(1):35-39. Adams,D.R and Wiekamp,M.D.,1984.The canine vomeronasal organ.Journal of Anatomy, 138; 771-787. Bargman,C.I .,1997. Olfactory receptor,vomeronasal receptors and the orgaItal.J.Anim.Sci.

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