Histomorphological and Histochemical Studies on Proventriculus in Guinea Fowl (Numida meleagris)

Background: The proventriculus, component of digestive system of bird secretes hydrochloric acid and pepsinogen which helps the churning of food material that takes place in ventriculus. Pepsinogen produces pepsin and it smashes the peptide bonds of amino acid of food material. Methods: The twelve proventriculus samples of Guinea fowl birds were fixed in 10% neutral buffered formalin and Bouin's fluid for histological procedure while chilled acetone and chilled ethanol were used as the fixatives for histochemical studies. The fresh unfixed samples were used on cryostat for studies of succinic dehydrogenase enzyme. Result: Histomorphologically the proventriculus of Guinea fowl was observed as the typical tubular component with four tunics from inside to outside as tunica mucosa, tunica sub mucosa, tunica muscularis and tunica serosa. The submucosal layer comprised with proventricular submucosal gland (PVSMG) which was encapsulated by elastic fibers. Tunica muscularis was inner longitudinal and outer circular layer, while the tunica serosa was observed with surrounding adipose tissue as the connective tissue constituent to endow the access of nutritional supply in the form of blood vessels. The luminal surface of proventricular submucosal glands has shown the significant activity of glycogen while intercalated, intralobular and interlobular ducts have exhibited the weak activity towards the same. The glandular cell rod of PVSMG, serosal layer and adjoining connective tissue with blood vessels has exhibited very weak activity of alkaline phosphatase. Mucosal folds and lumen of PVSMG has shown the weak activity of acidic phosphatase but the serosal limiting membrane has shown very weak activity. The succinic dehydrogenase activity was seen in the connective tissue septa of submucosal glandular cellular rods and the intense activity was observed at tunica muscularis.

Automated summary

The study focused on the histological features of the proventriculus of Guinea fowl birds, revealing a typical tubular structure with four tunics and the presence of submucosal glands. The submucosal layer encapsulated by elastic fibers and the muscular layer showed intense activity of succinic dehydrogenase enzyme.