Abstract
The microanatomical features of the oesophageal gastric tract in tetrapod representatives and their function, especially those related to the mucosal layer, have not yet been fully investigated. The mucosal layer cells and their function in the oesophageal gastric tract differ structurally and functionally in tetrapod representatives based on interspecies difference and the type of food and feeding habits. The present study was, therefore, postulated to compare the mucosal microanatomical structure and histochemical biodistribution of different mucin types in oesophageal gastric tract tissues of four tetrapod species. A representative of each tetrapod class was selected, as follows: the Egyptian toad Bufo regularis, the lizard Trachylepis quinquetaeniata, the domestic pigeon Columba livia domestica and the albino mouse Mus musculus for Amphibia, Reptilia, Aves and Mammalia, respectively. Microanatomically, in lower tetrapods (toad and lizard), the mucosal layer of the oesophagus was composed of simple ciliated columnar epithelium with goblet cells, whereas in higher tetrapods (pigeon and mouse) it was composed of stratified squamous epithelium, with non-keratinised epithelium in the pigeon but keratinised epithelium in the mouse. However, the gastric mucosal layer of the stomach in lower tetrapods consists of simple columnar epithelium and gastric glands. Similarly, the mucosa of the pigeon’s proventriculus consists of simple columnar epithelium with proventricular glands opened into the lumen, whereas mouse mucosa consists of simple columnar epithelium which folds and forms gastric glands with gastric pits having a variety of cell types. Histochemically, the neutral mucin profile biodistribution in the oesophagus mucosal layer was variable. It was strongly positive in the toad and lizard, but was weak in the pigeon and completely negative in the mouse. In contrast it was strongly positive in the gastric mucosa of the toad, lizard and pigeon, but was weak in the mouse's gastric mucosa. On the other hand, the signals of carboxylated and sulfated mucins were found to be different. They were strong in the mucosa of the lizard oesophagus. In contrast, the carboxylated mucins in the gastric mucosa were positive in all representatives except the mouse. The sulfated mucins were, however, seen localised in the mucosal layer cells of the lizard and pigeon only. The study revealed that the microanatomical structures and functions as well as mucin distribution profiles in the oesophageal gastric tract are in line with interspecies difference and the type of food and feeding habits. However, this may need further investigations including more tetrapod representatives.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Abo-Taira AM, Mansour AB, Amer MA, Zaher MM (1988) Anatomical, morphometrical and histological studies on the alimentary tract of the lacertid lizard, Acanthodactylus boskianus (Family Lacertidae). Proc Egypt Acad Sci 38:87–101
Abumandour MM (2013) Morphological studies of the stomach of falcon. Sci J Veter Adv 2:30–40
Ahmed Y, Ea E, Ae Z (2009) Histological and histochemical studies on the esophagus, stomach and small intestines of vara-nus niloticus. J Vet Anat 2:35–48. https://doi.org/10.21608/jva.2009.45136
Al-Juboury R (2016) Comparative anatomical, histological and histochemical studies of the oesophagus in two different Iraqi birds (Columba palumbus and Tyto alba). Int J Adv Res Biol Sci 12:188–199. https://doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.1.2961.2403
Al-Saffar FJ (2016) Histomorphological and histochemical study of stomach of domestic pigeon (Columba livia domestica). Iraqi J Vet Med 40:89–96. https://doi.org/10.30539/iraqijvm.v40i1.144
Bancroft JD, Gamble M (2008) Theory and practice of histological techniques, 6th edn. Elsevier, Amsterdam, pp 183–186
Bizjak Mali L, Bulog B (2004) Histology and ultrastructure of the gut epithelium of the neotenic cave salamander, proteus anguinus (Amphibia, Caudata). J Morphol 259:82–89. https://doi.org/10.1002/jmor.10171
Boonzaier J, Van der Merwe EL, Bennett NC, Kotzé SH (2013) A comparative histochemical study of the distribution of mucins in the gastrointestinal tracts of three insectivorous mammals. Acta Histochem 115:549–556. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.acthis.2012.12.003
Carleton HM, Drury RAB, Wallington EA (1967) Carleton’s histological technique. Oxford University Press, New York, pp 127–130
Chou LM (1977) Anatomy, histology and histochemistry of the alimentary canal of gehyra mutilata (reptilia, lacertilia, gekkonidae). J Herpetol 11:349–357. https://doi.org/10.2307/1563248
Crole MR, Soley JT (2010) Gross morphology of the intra-oral rhamphotheca, oropharynx and proximal oesophagus of the emu (dromaius novaehollandiae). Anat Histol Embryol 39:207–218. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1439-0264.2010.00998.x
Divers SJ, Stahl SJ (2018) Mader’s reptile and amphibian medicine and surgery-e-book. Elsevier, Amsterdam
Eggert-Kruse W, Botz I, Pohl S et al (2000) Antimicrobial activity of human cervical mucus. Hum Reprod 15:778–784. https://doi.org/10.1093/humrep/15.4.778
Ferri D, Liquori GE, Scillitani G (1999) Morphological and histochemical variations of mucous and oxynticopeptic cells in the stomach of the seps, Chalcides chalcides. J Anat 194:71–77. https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1469-7580.1999.19410071.x
Ferri D, Liquori GE, Natale L et al (2001) Mucin histochemistry of the digestive tract of the red-legged frog Rana aurora aurora. Acta Histochem 103:225–237. https://doi.org/10.1078/0065-1281-00582
Gans C, Parsons TS (1977) Biology of the reptilia. Morphology. Academic Press, New York
Gelis S (2013) Evaluating and treating the gastrointestinal system. Clin Avian Med 1:412–416
Gendler SJ, Spicer AP (1995) Epithelial mucin genes. Annu Rev Physiol 57:607–634. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.ph.57.030195.003135
Grossman JD (1985) Anatomia dos animais domestic, 5th edn. Guanabara Koogan, Rio de Janeiro
Hadi K, Mohamed A (2015) Comparative anatomical and histological study of the esophagus of local adult male and female homing pigeon (Columba livia domestica). AL-Qadisiya J Vet Med Sci 14:80–87. https://doi.org/10.29079/vol14iss1art333
Hamdi H (2012) Anatomical, histological and histochemical adaptations of the reptilian alimentary canal to their food habits: I. Uromastyx aegyptiaca. Life Sci J 9:84–104
Hamdi H (2013) Anatomical, histological and histochemical adaptations of the avian alimentary canal to their food habits: ii- elanus caeruleus. Int J Sci Eng Res 4:1355–1364
Hamdi H, El Ghareeb A, el wahab, Zaher M, et al (2014) Anatomical, histological and histochemical adaptations of the reptilian alimentary canal to their food habits: II-chamaeleon africanus. World Appl Sci J 30:1306–1316
Jacobson E (2007) Overview of reptile biology, anatomy, and histology. CRC Press, New York, pp 1–130
Kardong KV (2006) Vertebrates: comparative, anatomy, function. Washington State University, Evolution
Kiernan JA (1999) Histological and histochemical methods:theory and practice. Shock 12:479
King AS, McLelland J, King AS (1984) Birds: their structure and function. Baillière Tindall, London
Koca YB, Gürcü B (2011) Morphological and histochemical investigations of esophagogastric tract of a lizard, laudakia stellio (Agamidae, Linnaeus 1758). Acta Biol Hung 62:376–387. https://doi.org/10.1556/ABiol.62.2011.4.4
Liquori GE, Scillitani G, Mastrodonato M, Ferri D (2002) Histochemical investigations on the secretory cells in the oesophagogastric tract of the Eurasian green toad, Bufo viridis. Histochem J 34:517–524. https://doi.org/10.1023/a:1024766124211
Liquori GE, Zizza S, Mastrodonato M et al (2005) Pepsinogen and H, K-ATPase mediate acid secretion in gastric glands of Triturus carnifex (Amphibia, Caudata). Acta Histochem 107:133–141. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.acthis.2005.03.002
Liquori GE, Mastrodonato M, Zizza S, Ferri D (2007) Glycoconjugate histochemistry of the digestive tract of triturus carnifex (Amphibia, Caudata). J Mol Histol 38:191–199. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10735-007-9087-4
Loo SK, Wong WC (1975) Histochemical observations on the mucins of the gastrointestinal tract in the toad (Bufo melanostictus). Acta Anat 91:97–103. https://doi.org/10.1159/000144374
Machado-Santos C, Pelli-Martins AA, Abidu-Figueiredo M, de Brito-Gitirana L (2014) Histochemical and Immunohistochemical Analysis of the Stomach of Rhinella icterica (Anura, Bufonidae). J Histol 2014:872795. https://doi.org/10.1155/2014/872795
Malewitz TD (1965) Normal histology of the digestive tract of the mouse. Okajimas Folia Anat Jpn 41:21–47. https://doi.org/10.2535/ofaj1936.41.1_21
McManus JFA (1946) Histological demonstration of mucin after periodic acid. Nat Nat 158:202
Mikuni-Takagaki Y, Hotta K (1979) Characterization of peptic inhibitory activity associated with sulfated glycoprotein isolated from gastric mucosa. Biochim Biophys Acta 584:288–297. https://doi.org/10.1016/0304-4165(79)90274-5
Narkiewicz K, Narkiewicz M (2015) The age of the oldest tetrapod tracks from Zachełmie, Poland. Lethaia 48:10
Paksuz EP, Paksuz S (2021) Histomorphometric and histochemical characteristics of the oesophagus of the greater mouse-eared Bat, Myotis myotis (Borkhausen, 1797). Anat Histol Embryol 50:701–706. https://doi.org/10.1111/ahe.12678
Pelli-Martins A, Santos C, Sales A, de Brito GL (2012) Histochemical, immunohistochemical, and ultrastructural observations of the esophagus morphology of Rinella icterica (Anuran, Bufonidae). Acta Zool. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1463-6395.2011.00510.x
Rajabi E, Nabipour A (2009) Histological study on the oesophagus and crop in various species of wild bird. Avian Biol Res 2:161–164. https://doi.org/10.3184/175815509X12474789336122
Robertson AM, Wright DP (1997) Bacterial glycosulphatases and sulphomucin degradation. Can J Gastroenterol 11:361–366. https://doi.org/10.1155/1997/642360
Romer AS (1970) Vertebrate body. Wiley, New York, p 486. https://doi.org/10.1002/sce.37304103194
Scott JE, Mowry RW (1970) Alcian blue–a consumers’ guide. J Histochem Cytochem 18:842. https://doi.org/10.1177/18.11.842
Sheahan DG, Jervis HR (1976) Comparative histochemistry of gastrointestinal mucosubstances. Am J Anat 146:103–131. https://doi.org/10.1002/aja.1001460202
Strobel S, Encarnação JA, Becker NI, Trenczek TE (2015) Histological and histochemical analysis of the gastrointestinal tract of the common pipistrelle bat (Pipistrellus pipistrellus). Eur J Histochem 59:2477. https://doi.org/10.4081/ejh.2015.2477
Zaher M, El-Ghareeb AW, Hamdi H, AbuAmod F (2012) Anatomical, histological and histochemical adaptations of the avian alimentary canal to their food habits: I-coturnix coturnix. Life Sci J 9(3):253–275
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Additional information
Publisher's Note
Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Awaad, A., Rushdy, A. & Adly, M.A. Comparative microanatomical and histochemical biodistribution profiles of different types of mucins in oesophageal gastric tract mucosa of some tetrapod representatives. Histochem Cell Biol 157, 217–238 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00418-021-02049-x
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00418-021-02049-x