Anatomical Studies On the Infraorbital Glands of Male Sheep of Tirunelveli Region of Tamil Nadu

Rajathi Shunmugam; K. S. Achuthanandhan; S. Sweta; B. A. Shrivarshya; K. Jayasri; S. Shanthini; S. Muthukrishnan

Authors

Rajathi Shunmugam Assistant Professor, Department of Veterinary Anatomy Veterinary College and Research Institute, Tirunelveli Tamil Nadu Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, INDIA https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4226-2346
K. S. Achuthanandhan Department of Veterinary Anatomy Veterinary College and Research Institute, Tirunelveli Tamil Nadu Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, INDIA
S. Sweta Department of Veterinary Anatomy Veterinary College and Research Institute, Tirunelveli Tamil Nadu Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, INDIA
B. A. Shrivarshya Department of Veterinary Anatomy Veterinary College and Research Institute, Tirunelveli Tamil Nadu Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, INDIA
K. Jayasri Department of Veterinary Anatomy Veterinary College and Research Institute, Tirunelveli Tamil Nadu Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, INDIA
S. Shanthini Department of Veterinary Anatomy Veterinary College and Research Institute, Tirunelveli Tamil Nadu Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, INDIA
S. Muthukrishnan Department of Veterinary Anatomy Veterinary College and Research Institute, Tirunelveli Tamil Nadu Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, INDIA

Keywords:

Anatomy, Histology, infraorbital gland, sheep

Abstract

Chemical communication plays a crucial role in mammalian behavior starting by understanding olfactory communication. The work is undertaken to study the morphology, morphometry, histology, and micrometry of the infraorbital gland in the male sheep of the Tirunelveli region of south Tamil Nadu to provide baseline information about the gland's function. The infraorbital gland was exocrine and found within an infraorbital pouch. Histologically, the gland was covered with an epidermis of skin–stratified squamous epithelium. Below the epidermis was the dermis showing the connective tissue fibres and cells, striated muscles, and hair follicles. The dermis region contains the outer sebaceous, holocrine portion of glands, and an inner apocrine portion of glands. The sebaceous holocrine part of the gland was found in the dermis region in high thickness and the apocrine part of the gland was found below. The apocrine glandular part was seen in less diameter and was a simple coiled tubular gland.