Histomorphological Studies on the Spleen of Pig (Sus scrofa)

Abstract

The present study was conducted to study the histomorphology of the spleen of pig (n==12). The pig spleen was enclosed by connective tissue capsule that was composed of collagenous, elastic and reticular fibers along with smooth muscle fibers. The capsule was made up of two layers, outer fibrous connective tissue and inner muscular layer of smooth muscle fiber. Adipose tissue was also observed in capsule. The branching connective tissue trabeculae extended from the inner muscular layer of capsule into splenic parenchyma and divided it into smaller compartments by forming a net like framework which was composed of reticular fibers, smooth muscle fibers and collagen fibers. The splenic parenchyma consisted of red pulp and white pulp. The white pulp was made up of two components, which were splenic nodules or Malphigian corpuscles or lymphatic nodules and peri-arterial lymphatic sheath. Peri- aterial lymphatic sheaths were abundant in spleen. Central artery was placed eccentrically and two or three central arteries were observed in the splenic nodule in present study. Splenic nodules were composed of aggregation of the lymphatic tissue which occurred as aggregation of two or three nodules. Large and abundant ellipsoids were characteristic of pig spleen and composed of macrophages, reticular cells and lymphocytes. The shape of ellipsoids varied from oval to elongated. Red pulp consisted of splenic sinuses, splenic cords and blood vessels. Splenic sinuses were poorly developed in the pig.