Camels and Camelids

ANATOMICAL AND HISTOCHEMICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF THE LACRIMAL GLANDS IN BACTRIAN CAMELS (Camelus bactrianus)

Journal Edition: December 2008
Article DOI:
Published On: 11-10-2018 07:08

Chengjuan Gao1, Baoping Shao1, Jinghong Ma1, Shiyuan Yu2 and Jianlin Wang1
1MOE Key Laboratory of Arid and Grassland Ecology, School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou,
Gansu 730000, China; 2School of Life Science, Northwest Normal University, Lanzhou, Gansu 730070, China

ABSTRACT

The anatomical and histochemical characteristics of the lacrimal, main lacrimal and harderian glands and superior glands of the third eyelid in 5 bactrian camels were observed with gross-anatomical, histological and histochemical methods. The main lacrimal gland was situated on the dorsolateral aspect of the eyeball and it appeared irregular triangular in shape and light brown in appearance. The gland consisted of tubuloacinar units which were PAS-positive and Alcion blue-positive. The superior gland of the third eyelid situated at antero-medial aspect of the eyeball. It surrounds the cartilage of the third eyelid. It is oval in appearance and has tubuloacinar units which mainly showed PAS-positive. The harderian gland was located distal to the superior gland of the third eyelid, which was composed of tubuloacinar units and large lumen acini lined with cuboidal epithelial cells. The cells of tubuloacinar units showed a positive PAS reaction. The position of the lacrimal glands in bactrian camel was similar to that of other reported species, but morphological differences existed among species, which may be related to the living environment of bactrian camel. Histochemical analysis showed that the main lacrimal gland of bactrian camel is a compound tubuloacinar gland with mucoserous secretions, while the acinar epithelium cells of superior gland of the third eyelid and harderian gland in bactrian camel are mainly serous.
Key words: Bactrian camel, harderian gland, lacrimal gland, superior gland of the third eyelid