Comparative micro morphological studies of pancreas on some species of birds

Abstract

The present study aimed to compare between the exocrine part of the pancreas of both Japanese quail and Cattle egret. It also aimed to throw more light on the endocrine part of the pancreas of Cattle egret. Histological, histochemical, immunohistochemical, and ultrastructural studies were carried out. The pancreas was investigated in eight apparent healthy mature female Japanese quail and eight Cattle egret. In both birds, the pancreas was located on the right side of the abdomen between the ascending and descending loops of the duodenum. The pancreas of Japanese quail was composed of dorsal, ventral, third, and splenic lobes, while in the Cattle egret the pancreas was not lobulated. The Exocrine portion was consisted of serous acini, intercalated ducts, intralobular ducts, interlobular ducts, and main duct. The excretory duct system was similar in both birds with minor differences. The intralobular ducts in the Cattle egret were characterized by the presence of serous glands within their walls. Under electron microscopy, the acinar cells were of two types, electron-dense and electron-lucent acinar cells. Histochemically, the interlobular duct of the Cattle egret was positively reacted to alcian blue (pH1) and aldehyde fuchsin stains, but the interlobular duct of the Japanese quail was negatively reacted.