Morphological and Histological Study of the Cecum and Colon in Adult Local Camelus dromedarius

摘要

The present study was designed to describethe morphological and histological structures of the cecum and colon in adult local one humped camel in Iraq. Specimens of cecum and colon were collected from five healthy male camels between 4-5 years old. The samples were collected immediately after slaughtering and transferred to the Laboratory of Anatomy, College of Veterinary Medicine for further processing. For gross study, the intestinal tract was separated and dissecting it away from it attachments to the dorsal abdomen wall. The cecum appeared as smooth cylindrical sac and its measuring were (51.35± 6.40) cm. (72.5± 9.4) gm. (0.124 ± 0.07) cm for mean total length, weight(weight after empty of the part) and wall thickness respectively. The colon was appearedas one long continuous hollow tube with externally smooth and divided into ascending, transverse and descending parts. Histologically, the cecum and colon wall was composed of the four tunicae (mucosa, submucosa, muscularis and serosa or adventitia).The tunica mucosa was the inner layer lined of the cecum and colon lumen. The mean thickness of these tunica in colon were more than that in cecum (487.9±26.6)μm, (366.7±34.1)μm respectively. The tunica mucosa revealed three different layers including: lining epithelium, lamina propria with glands and muscularis mucosa. The colon epithelium revealed large number of Lieberkuhncrypts and goblet cells reached (31 ± 4), (262 ± 11) respectively, more than that in cecum (27 ± 5), (218 ± 12), respectively. The submucosa consists of irregular connective tissue and adipose tissue, numerous blood vessels. The mean thickness of these tunica in cecum was more than that in colon (243.2±44.3)μm and (124.8±16.6)μm respectively. Tunica muscularis was composed of inner circular and outer longitudinal smooth muscle layers with mean thickness of these tunica in colon was more than that in cecum (694.7±37.4)μm and (513.9±46.3)μm respectively. The tunica serosa or adventitia was consist of loose connective tissues with mean thickness of these tunica in colon was more than that in cecum (212.7±14.1)μm and (187.9±17.6)μm respectively. In conclusion, this study identified the morphological and histological features of adult Camelus dromedaries colon and cecum.