Microarchitecture of the Palatine Tonsil in Sheep (Ovis aries) / Microarquitectura de la Tonsila Palatina en Oveja (Ovis aries)

The tissue pieces of palatine tonsil were collected from different postnatal age groups of sheep from the Corporation Slaughter House, Perambur, Chennai. The palatine tonsil consisted of a surface epithelium, capsule, tonsillar lobes, crypts, crypt epithelium and tonsillar follicles. The surface epithelium over the palatine tonsil was made up of non-keratinized stratified squamous epithelium in all the postnatal age groups studied. The palatine tonsil was clearly demarcated from the surrounding structures by a distinct connective tissue capsule and one septa dividing the tonsil into two lobes. The surface epithelium was invaginated into the substance of the tonsil to form primary and secondary crypts in each lobe. The crypt epithelium covered the regions of lymphoid follicles became lymphoepithelium. The macrophages were also observed in the epithelium. In the areas of lymphoepithelium the basement membrane was interrupted since lymphocytic infiltration was heavy into the epithelium. Numerous secondary tonsillar follicles with germinal centers separated by interfollicular areas were observed in the palatine tonsil. The tonsillar follicles consisted of a mantle zone, which was heavily populated with small darkly stained lymphocytes. These mantle zones were always oriented towards the crypts. The tonsillar follicles of young sheep showed many medium and small sized lymphocytes, lymphoblasts and also reticulocytes. The reticular cells usually appeared larger than lymphocytes and had a more abundant and organized cytoplasm with vacuoles.

Fueron recolectadas piezas de tejido desde la tonsila palatina de ovejas con diferentes edades postnatales, desde la Corporación Slaughter House, Perambur, Chennai. La tonsila palatina consistía en un epitelio de superficie, cápsula, lóbulos de las tonsilas, criptas, epitelio de las criptas tonsilares y folículos. El epitelio superficial sobre la tonsila palatina estaba compuesto, en todos los grupos estudiados, de epitelio escamoso estratificado no-queratinizado. La tonsila palatina se delimitó claramente de las estructuras circundantes por un tejido conectivo capsular y un septo dividiendo la tonsila en dos lóbulos. El epitelio superficial se invaginó dentro de de la tonsila para formar criptas primarias y secundarias en cada lóbulo. El epitelio de las criptas cubrió las regiones de folículos linfoides transfomándose en linfoepitelo. También se observaron macrófagos en el epitelio. En las áreas de linfoepitelo la membrana basal estaba interrumpida por la infiltración linfocitaria y fue mayor en el epitelio. Fueron observados numerosos folículos tonsilares secundarios con centros germinales separados por áreas interfoliculares. Los folículos tonsilares consistían en una zona del manto que estaba densamente poblada con pequeños linfocitos intensamente teñidos. Estas zonas del manto se orientaron siempre hacia las criptas. Los folículos tonsilares de las ovejas jóvenes mostraron muchos linfocitos de tamaño medianos y pequeños, linfoblastos y también reticulocitos. Las células reticulares usualmente aparecían más grandes que los linfocitos y tenían un citoplasma más abundante y organizado con vacuolas.

Protective effect of α-tocopheral on biochemical and histological alterations induced by cadmium in rat testes.

Cadmium (Cd) is a potential environmental pollutant and causes severe damage to reproductive organs in adults including ovary and testes. Of all antioxidants α-tocopheral is considered to be most potent chain breaking antioxidant. Our aim was to study the effect of α-tocopheral on biochemical and histological alterations induced by Cd in testes of rats. Group 1 served as control, while groups 2 and 3 received subcutaneous injections of CdCl2 (3 mg/kg b.wt) once a week for four weeks. Group 3 in addition received α-tocopheral (75 mg/kg b.wt.) orally, daily for six weeks. Cadmium caused testicular tissue biochemical alterations such as significant increase in MDA, a peroxidation marker, decrease in antioxidant markers viz SOD, CAT and GSH and functional markers viz ALP and LDH. Histological alteration induced by Cd consisted of desquamation of basal lamina, shrunken tubules, generalized germ cell depletion with multinucleated gaint cells, degenerating Leydig cells, vascular congestion, interstitial edema and significant reduction in spermatodynamic count. α- tocopheral significantly reversed all the Cd induced alterations. These results indicate that α-tocopheral has a protective effect against Cd indced biochemical and histological alterations in rat testes.