A histomorphometric study of pancreatic islets in the mature domestic duck of western Iran

The aim of this study is to determine the diameter and number of pancreatic islets of the duck. Histomorphometric studies were carried out on the pancreas of adult male and female domestic ducks of western Iran with an average age of 26-30 weeks using hematoxylin-eosin and special stainings, light microscope and ocular micrometer. The islet diameters were found to be between 65.7 and 115.2 microns. The ducks had fewer islets (42.87%) yet with greater diameters (95.9 microns) but in the drakes there were more islets (57.13%) with smaller diameters (83.5 microns). The least number of islets with the greatest diameter were observed in the ventral pancreatic lobe of female ducks while the most number of islets with the smallest diameter were seen in the ventral pancreatic lobe of male ducks. Overall it can be concluded that the diameter and number of pancreatic islets of the duck varies in different parts of the gland and between the sexes and there is an inverse relationship between them.