(LIGHT AND ELECTRON MICROSCOPICAL STUDIES ON THE EYE OF ONE HUMPED CAMEL (Camelus dromedarius

Abstract

This work was cared out to investigate the structure of the camel's eye and its accommodation with the surrounding hard environment of the desert. This investigation was done on 8 eyes of adult one humped camel (Camelus dromedarius) of apparently healthy ones. Each samples was examined both by light and electron microscopy (transmission and scanning). Light microscopical samples were taken from 6 pieces of different parts of the eye. Also, electron microscopical samples were taken from the same parts of light samples. The obtained resuits revealed the following: he eye ball consists of three tunics; outer fibrous coat, vascular coat and tunica interna (retina). I. Outer fibrous coat It consists of anterior transparent cornea and posterior opaque sclera. The cornea consists of stratified squamous non-keratinized epithelium, stroma, Descemet's membrane and endothelium. Bowman's membrane is absent. By SEM, the surface of cornea carries short stubby microprojections {microplicae) in addition to the craters through fluids get out and keep cornea wet. Epithelium is pigmented at the periphery of the cornea and anterior part of stroma contains blood capillaries. By TEM, the cornea reveals presence of wide intercellular spaces and channels.