Morphological and HistochemicalStudy of Small Intestine InIndigenousDucks (Anasplayrhynchos)

Abstract

Histomorphological study of small intestine in indigenous ducks Anasplatyrhynchoswas carried out for thirty adult indigenous ducks (male and female). Duodenum, jejunum and ileum were studied grossly and histologically. Anatomically, the small intestine appeared as a smooth, uniform through entire length, light pinkish and glistening. The duodenum has a U shape loop extend caudal to the gizzard. The pancreatic and bile ducts opened in the end of its ascending limb.The Jejunum and ileum were arranged in large parallel U shaped loops. The mucous membrane of the small intestines has a velvety appearance. Female had significanthigher than male in the mean length, weight and volume of total small intestine and for each intestinal segment separately. The celiac artery and its branches supply the small intestine.Histologically, the wall of the small intestine was consisted of four tunicae mucosa, submucosa, muscularis and serosa.The mucosa of the small intestine had a distinctive feature by the presence of villi and the crypts of lieberkuhn which covered by simple columnar epithelium with goblet cells. The villi had different shapes in different segments of small intestine.The goblet cells were increased in number towards ileum with PAS and AB positive reactions. No Paneth cells were observed. No sex differences in the shape of the villi, height of columnar cells, villus height, crypts depth, ratio of villus height to crypts depth and the number of goblet cells in the three segments of small intestine.