HISTOGENESIS OF THE STOMACH OF HELMETED GUINEA FOWL (NUMIDA MELEAGRIS )

Abstract

The histogenesis of the stomach (proventriculus and ventriculus) of helmeted guinea f o w l ( N u m i d a m e l e a g r i s ) w a s s t u d i e d u s i n g li g h t m i c r o s c o p y a n d h i s t o c h e m i c a l techniques. Fifteen (15) embryos were utilized for this study. The result showed that at 10 th a n d 1 3 th d a y s o f e m b r y o n i c d e v e l o p m e n t , t h e p r i m o r d i a l p r o v e n t r i c u l u s a n d v e n t r i c u l u s w e r e li n e d b y p s e u d o s t r a t i f i e d c o l u m n a r e p i t h e l i u m s u r r o u n d e d b y mesenchyme connective tissue. At 19 th day of embryonic development, the epithelium of t h e p r o v e n t r i c u l u s a n d v e n t r i c u l u s a s w e ll a s t h e p r o v e n t r i c u l a r g l a n d s w a s li n e d b y simple cuboidal epithelium. Tunics; tunica muscularis and serosa w ere evident at this stage. At 23 rd day of embryonic development, tubular glands of the ventriculus became c a n a li z e d . T h e 2 7 th d a y o f e m b r y o n i c d e v e l o m e n t o f t h e p r i m o r d i a l p r o v e n t r i c u l u s showed an organized glandular lobules, central cavity and prominent muscle layer while the ventriculus showed the presence of cuticle, simple tubular glands, loose connective tissues of the lamina propria and muscle layer. This study has shown that primordial stomach appeared to be completly differentiated to definitive st omach by the 27 th day with the potential of commencing functional role