Ckb. Kahwa et M. Purton, HISTOLOGICAL AND HISTOCHEMICAL-STUDY OF EPITHELIAL LINING OF THE RESPIRATORY-TRACT IN ADULT GOATS, Small ruminant research, 20(2), 1996, pp. 181-186
Seventeen clinically normal Cashmere goats were used in the present st
udy. Tissue samples taken from the nasal vestibule, the alar and basal
folds, the nasal conchae, nasopharynx, larynx, trachea, bronchi and l
ung parenchyma were routinely prepared for histology, and stained with
alcian blue/periodic acid schiff (AB/PAS). The nasal vestibule, rostr
al portion of the alar and basal folds, nasopharynx, epiglottis, vocal
folds, and the rostral portions of the infraglottic cavity were lined
by stratified squamous epithelium. An intermediate epithelium compose
d of stratified cuboidal cells was observed in the transitional zone b
etween the stratified squamous and the pseudostratified columnar cilia
ted epithelia. The rest of the tract was lined by typical respiratory
epithelium (pseudostratified ciliated columnar epithelium) except from
the terminal bronchiole distally, where the type of epithelium ranged
between simple columnar and simple cuboidal. Respiratory bronchioles,
lined by a simple cuboidal epithelium and interrupted by the presence
of alveoli, were prominent and well developed. The alveolar membrane
was lined by a simple squamous epithelium. There were no mucosubstance
s produced in the rostral portion of the nasal cavity and serous eland
s were prominent in this region. The nasal conchae produced both acidi
c and mixed mucosubstances, whereas in the nasopharynx and larynx, aci
dic mucosubstances predominated. Within the bronchial tree, both acidi
c and mixed mucosubstances were present in equal proportions. No mucus
-producing cells were observed from the bronchiolar level distally.