Histomorphometric and immunohistochemical study of the goat omasum during prenatal development

A. García¹, Javier Masot¹, Antonio Franco², Antonio Gazquez¹ and E. Redondo¹

Deparment of Veterinary ¹Histology and ²Anatomy, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Extremadura, Cáceres, Spain.

Offprint requests to: Dr. E. Redondo, Deparment of Veterinary Histology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Extremadura, 10071 Cáceres, Spain. e-mail: eloy@unex.es


Summary. This work studies the morphological changes taking place in the goat omasum during prenatal development, using scanning electron microscope, light microscopy and immunohistochemical analysis. A total of 140 goat embryos and fetuses were used, from the first stages of prenatal life until birth. Differentiation of the omasum as a separate compartment of the primitive gastric tube was observed at 35 days of prenatal life ([crown-rump length (CRL)] 3 cm, 23% gestation). By 38 days (CRL 4.3 cm, 25% gestation) the omasal wall comprised three layers: an internal epithelial layer, a middle layer of pluripotential blastemic tissue and an external layer or serosa. Omasal laminae appeared in the following order: primary at 38 days (CRL 4.3 cm, 25% gestation), secondary at 50 days (CRL 7.7 cm, 33% gestation), tertiary at 59 days (CRL 12 cm, 39% gestation) and quaternary at 64 days (CRL 13.5 cm, 43% gestation). Neuroendocrine cells were detected by synaptophysin (SYP) at 52 days (CRL 8 cm, 35% gestation), while glial cell markers (glial fibrillary acidic protein - GFAP, and vimentin-VIM) were observed at 64 days (CRL 13.5 cm, 43% gestation) and 38 days (CRL 4.3 cm, 25% gestation), respectively. Sympathetic and parasympathetic nerve fibers and nerve bodies were detected via neuropeptide Y (NPY) and vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP) at 95 days (CRL 20 cm, 63% gestation). In conclusion, prenatal development of the omasum - like that of the rumen - appears to take place somewhat earlier in goats than in sheep or cattle, but at a similar stage to that reported in deer. Histol Histopathol 28, 737-748 (2013)

Key words: Forestomach, Goat, Immunohistochemisty, Prenatal development

DOI: 10.14670/HH-28.737