Fetal differentiation of the spleen of sokoto gudali cattle: A Histomorphological study

Abstract

An anatomical study was conducted on the development of cattle spleen using standard histomorphological methods. Fifteen Sokoto gudali cattle fetuses obtained from Sokoto metropolitan abattoir at different gestational ages were used for the study. The fetuses were weighed and grouped according to their gestational ages using their crown-vertebral-rump length. Gross observation of the organ shown that, the spleen was observed to be elongated, with flat surfaces and rounded at the apices in all the stages of development. At first trimester, the spleens were seen as smooth massive organ, with almost uniform width and thickness throughout the length. They were uniformly pinkish, no definite shape and no visual regional boundaries. At second trimester, the spleens were observed to have taken the normal shape of adult cattle with definite shape and visual regional boundaries (base, body and apex). Biometrically, the weight of the foetuses, the crown “ vertebral “ rump “ length, weight of the spleen, length of the spleen, width of the spleen and volume of the spleen were found to be increasing progressively with advancement in gestational age (first trimester to third trimester). Histological observations showed that the spleens had variable shape and size of the red pulp, white pulp, trabercular connective tissue and capsular thickness depending on the stage of development. A special feature of connective tissue inter-digitations of variable sizes into the parenchyma was observed along the whole surface at 2^nd and 3^rd trimester. Based on the findings in the study, cattles spleen had little/few variations with true ruminant and much similarity with so many domestic animals in terms of development.