Hostname: page-component-848d4c4894-wg55d Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-05-07T01:23:05.409Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Epidermal pigment distribution in buffaloes (Bos bubalis)

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 March 2009

G. Chandra
Affiliation:
Department of Anatomy, U.P. College of Veterinary Science and Animal Husbandry, Mathura, India.
M. B. Bharadwaj
Affiliation:
Department of Anatomy, U.P. College of Veterinary Science and Animal Husbandry, Mathura, India.

Summary

A quantitative evaluation of the pigment in Murrah buffaloes of both sexes ranging in age from 1½ to 7 years revealed that dorsal areas had most pigment, while the lateral body areas and the extremities were intermediate and the ventral and axillary regions revealed the least pigment. Maximum concentration of melanin granules occurred in stratum cylindricum, which gradually declined towards stratum corneum which was fully non-pigmented in axilla, groin, inter-digital and inter-dewclaw areas.

Pigment granules blackened in silver preparations and were seen concentrated as protective ‘nuclear caps’ in the supranuclear zone of the cells of stratum germinativum. The infranuclear light-staining cytoplasm contained PAS reactive glycogen granules.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1969

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

Badreldin, A. L. & Ghany, M. A. (1952). Adaptive mechanisms of buffaloes to ambient temperature. Nature, Lond. 170, 457.Google Scholar
Becker, W. C. (1948). Dermatological investigations of Melanin pigmentation. In The Biology of Melanomas. Spec. Publs N.Y. Acad. Set. no. IV. (Cit. Gjesdal, 1959, Acta path, microbiol. Scand. 47, Suppl. 133.)Google Scholar
Billingham, R. E. & Medawar, P. B. (1953). Phil. Trans. R. Soc. 237, 151. (cited by Creed, 1958, Vet. Rec. 70, 171.)Google Scholar
Bonsma, J. C. (1949). Breeding cattle for increased adaptability to tropical and sub-tropical environments. J. agric. Sci., Camb. 39, 204–19.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Davenport, H. A. (1960). Histological and Hislochemical Techniques. Philadelphia: W. B. Saunders and Co.Google Scholar
Goldsberry, S. & Calhoun, M. L. (1959). The comparative histology of the skin of Hereford and Aberdeen Angus Cattle. Am. J. Vet. Res. 20, 61–8.Google ScholarPubMed
Gttyer, M. F. (1949). Animal micrology. Chicago, Illinois: University of Chicago Press.Google Scholar
Hafez, E. S. E., Badreldin, A. L. & Shafei, M. A. (1955). Skin structure of Egyptian buffaloes and cattle with particular reference to sweat glands. J. agric. Sci.., Camb. 46, 1930.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ito, M. (1957). Studies of melanin. Bep. II, Tohuku. J. exp. Med. 65 (Suppl. V), 128.Google Scholar
Lerner, A.B. & Fitzpatrick, T.B. (1950). Biochemistry of melanin formation. Physiol. Rev. 30, 91.Google Scholar
Lillie, R. D. (1954). Histopathologic Technique and Practical Histochemistry. New York: McGraw-Hill Book Co. Inc.Google Scholar
Manuel of Histologic and Special Staining Technics (1960). U.S. Armed Forces Institute of Pathology. New York: McGraw-Hill Book Co. Inc.Google Scholar
Mason, H. S. (1948). A classification of melanins. In The Biology of Melanomas, pp. 399404. Special Publs. N.Y. Acad. Sci. no. IV. (Cit. Gjesdal, 1959.)Google Scholar
Mullick, D. M. & Kehab, H. D. (1951). Comparative heat tolerance test in cattle and buffaloes. J. Anim. Sci. 10, 1079.Google Scholar
Peabse, A. G. E. (1953). Histochemistry. London: Churchill.Google Scholar
Rawles, M. E. (1963). Origin of the mammalian pigment cell and its role in the formation of hair. In Pigment Cell Growth, pp. 115. Proc. Conf. N.Y. Zool. Soc. (Cited by Gjesdal 1959.)Google Scholar
Singh, A. (1962). Skin pigmentation in buffalo calves. Con. vet. J. 3, 343–6.Google ScholarPubMed
Trautmann, A. & Fiebigeb, J. (1957). Fundamentals of Histology of Domestic Animals. Translated and revised by Habel, R. E. and Biberstein, E. L.. Ithaca: Comstock Publishing Associates.Google Scholar
Yang, S. H. (1952). A method of assessing cutaneous pigmentation of bovine skin. J. agric. Sci., Camb. 42, 465–7.CrossRefGoogle Scholar