Histology, Histochemistry and Histomorphometry Study of Tympanic Membrane in the Adult River Buffalo

Buffalo is an economic animal in Livestock areas. Buffalo has two types: swamp buffalo and river buffalo. The tympanic membrane or ear drum  is a thin membrane that separates the outer ear from the middle ear. There is no histological and histochemical research performed on this organ in buffalo.

For this study 8 heads of  male and female buffalo were purchased from slaughterhouse and their tympanic membrane were studied histomorphometry , histological  and histochemically with H&E, Verhoff, PAS and MTC staining.

The result showed Tympanic membrane had three layers of Epithelial layer, connective tissue and mucosal layer. In Epithelial layer Epithelium was stratified squamous and in  mucosal layer epithelium  was simple squamous. Connective tissue wasvery thick and its collagen fibers types was arranged in radial and circular manner. The most types of connective cells were fibroblast. Collagen and elastic fibers were in both parts of tympanic membrane, but pars flaccida of tympanic membrane had more elastic fibers and in contrast it’s pars tensa of tympanic membrane had more collagen fibers. The highest density of collagen fiber observed in left tympanic membrane of female buffalo and lowest density of collagen fiber was in left tympanic membrane of male buffalo.

Overalls result showed tympanic membrane in buffalo had Similarities and differences with  ruminants and other animals.