Morphological and histochemical investigation of the camel (Camelus dromedarius) abomasal mucous membrane by light and scanning electron microscopy (SEM)

Morphological and histochemical study of the abomasal epithelium in camel (Camelus dromedarius) was carried out by light and scanning electron microscopes. The lining of the abomasum was divided into four regions، i. e. cardiac، pseudocardiac، fundic and pyloric. Our investigation revealed that the cardiac and pseudocardiac regions occupy a wide part of the abomasum in camel and it reaches approximately the third-fourth of the abomasum. Our gross anatomical observation showed small diverticulae in the Fundic region، this part was covered with thick mucosal folds that have been separated by deep branching furrows. In the histological study we observed that، the mucosa has extensive gastric folds and small invaginations or gastric pits، which were in continuation with the gastric glands. The mucosal surface was covered with simple columnar epithelial. Our histochemical revealed that the surface epithelium in abomasum was negative to AB and positive to PAS staining، whereas in the gastric pit cells it was positive to AB and PAS staining، but gastric gland cells were negative to PAS and positive to AB staining. In the SEM study، after complete removal of mucin from the surface of the mucosa، simple columnar epithelial cells with a mean length of 20 µm were observed، and some epithelial cells have been arranged as flower body (FB). Also، we observed hexagonal structures on the surface of the abomasums that resembled honeycomb structure (HC). Mean diameter of these HC structures was 30-40 µm. For the first time our investigation revealed these FB and HC structures in the abomasal mucosa of camel.