Stomach of Balady Duck (Anas platyrhnchos) Histological, Histochemical and Electron Microscopical Studies

Abstract

The present study revealed that the oesophago-proventricular junction was a short area through which the esophagus could be distinguished with its whitish color and the glandular stomach with its brown color. However, the stomach of balady ducks was demarcated into upper part or the gastric (proventriculus) and the lower part or the muscular stomach (gizzard), which were connected together by isthmus. The proventriculus was tubular-spindle in shape. The gizzard was a biconvex lens in shape with thick and well-developed muscular wall. It consisted of a body (middle part) with two small cranial and caudal blind sacs, which were light red in color. The pyloric region was a very small area; spindle in shape, between the gizzard and duodenum.

Histologically, the lamina epithelialis of the esophagus changed abruptly from stratified squamous epithelium to simple columnar epithelium lining the proventricular folds. The lamina propria of the esophagus at this junction