Study of the histometry and Smooth Muscle Alpha Actin (ASMA) in smooth muscles of the small intestine of camel

Immunoreactivity of alpha-smooth muscle actin (ASMA), along with histometric values was evaluated in camel small intestine in both sexes. A total of 8 camels (both sexes male and female) were selected from Najaf Abad slaughterhouse and then the abdominal cavity was dissected and the small intestine was removed. The one cm fragment from three parts was fixed in formalin and from some specimens sections were prepared and stained with hematoxylin-eosin and the remainder were immunohistochemically stained with alpha actin antibodies. The results showed that there are the longest villi of the intestine in jejunum, the largest diameter of the villi in the ileum and the deepest crypt of the intestine in the duodenum. Morphometric results showed that the mean of the thickness of the mucous and submucosal layer in the duodenal region was more than the jejunum and ileum this organ. The mean thickness of the muscular layer in both sexes in the intestinal jejunum region is less than the duodenum and ileum this organ. Different intensities of alpha-actin expression were observed, as the lowest alpha-actin intensity in jejunum and the highest intensity of α-actin expression of smooth muscle in ileum was observed. Due to the lowest thickness of the muscle layer in jejunum, the lowest expression of alpha-actin in this region was observed. The expression of smooth muscle alpha-actin in the small intestine of the camel was evident, but its severity was different.