SOME HISTOLOGICAL AND HISTOCHEMICAL STUDIES ON THE SPLEEN OF QUAIL DURING PRE- AND POST-HATCHING PERIOD

Abstract

In the present study, eggs, chicks and mature birds of the Japanese quail (conturnix conturnix Japonica) were collected to cover mostly the whole life of the bird. The collected materials were transferred to the fixatives then processed and embedded in the paraffin wax. After the sectioning of the specimens, it was stained as usual with different stains and examined under the light microscope. Some specimens were processed and examined under the electron microscope.

The results obtained can be summarized as follows :­

A-Pre-hatching spleen:-

1-The first identification of the spleen development was noticed in quail

embryo at the 51

day of incubation as spherical mass of condensated

mesenchymal tissue with some cells belong to the hemopoietic series.

2-Some blood spaces were observed in this stage. • 3-As development proceed, The organ enter a transient vascular stage between ih to Izih day of incubation and then return again to the high

cellularity.

4- The I st hemopoietic cell was detected at the 7°' day of incubation. These cells reach the peak at 11 day of incubation, then decreased and completely ceased at 14°' day of incubation.