[Some aspects of macroscopic and microscopic studies of placentation in camel [camelus dromedarius]]

ABSTRACT

Salient aspects of a study on the placentation of camel at gross, light and electron microscopic levels are presented which included the analysis of various factors on five pregnant uteri. The observation confirmed that unlike other animals, in camel, the fetus only develops in the left born of the uterus. Based on the distribution and the type of the chorionic villi, the placenta was found to be in diffused form as in horse. At light microscopic level there were six layers between the fetal and maternal blood and thus the placenta of camel can also be classified as epitheliochorial form. The umbilical cord in camel is limited to the amniotic sac which is similar to cow and sheep but it contains two arteries, two veins and one urachus. Little amount of elastic fibers was also observed in the histolotgical and electron microscopical sections. At the electron microscopic level both binucleated and mononucleated cells in trophoblastic layer were confirmed. The study thus concludes that, unlike other ruminants, the camel placenta is similar to horse which is classified as diffuse, nondeciduated and epitheliochorial type