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Functional morphology of the esophagus of the tropical house gecko Hemidactylus mabouia (Squamata: Gekkonidae)

Functional morphology of the esophagus of the tropical house gecko Hemidactylus mabouia... In order to understand the biology of species that easily establish themselves in new environments, morphological studies are essential. This study aimed to describe the esophageal functional morphology of Hemidactylus mabouia , indicating adaptations to food habits. Seventeen adult specimens were used for anatomical, topological, histological, and histochemical analyses. Histological sections were stained with toluidine blue or submitted to techniques for identification of argyrophil and argentaffin endocrine cells, proteins, and glycoconjugates. The esophagus of H. mabouia is a tubular straight-lined organ, and its anterior portion is dilated, facilitating the swallowing of whole prey. The esophageal epithelium is pseudostratified, containing cells secreting neutral and acid mucins. At the esophagogastric transition, we found a mixture of this epithelium with a simple prismatic epithelium secreting neutral mucins. The esophagus lamina propria is thin and non-glandular. At the esophagogastric transition it becomes thick and filled by branched simple acinous glands, with cells secreting neutral mucins, zymogenic cells, and argentaffin endocrine cells, with no argyrophil cells. The mucins protect the esophageal mucosa and lubricate the channel to facilitate the passage of food, while pepsinogen in the stomach increases the levels of pepsin for proteolytic digestion. The muscular tunica is made up of smooth muscle cells. Ciliary action, in addition to muscle contractions, facilitates the swallowing of small prey. http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png Animal Biology Brill

Functional morphology of the esophagus of the tropical house gecko Hemidactylus mabouia (Squamata: Gekkonidae)

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Publisher
Brill
Copyright
Copyright 2015 by Koninklijke Brill NV, Leiden, The Netherlands.
Subject
Articles
ISSN
1570-7555
eISSN
1570-7563
DOI
10.1163/15707563-00002469
Publisher site
See Article on Publisher Site

Abstract

In order to understand the biology of species that easily establish themselves in new environments, morphological studies are essential. This study aimed to describe the esophageal functional morphology of Hemidactylus mabouia , indicating adaptations to food habits. Seventeen adult specimens were used for anatomical, topological, histological, and histochemical analyses. Histological sections were stained with toluidine blue or submitted to techniques for identification of argyrophil and argentaffin endocrine cells, proteins, and glycoconjugates. The esophagus of H. mabouia is a tubular straight-lined organ, and its anterior portion is dilated, facilitating the swallowing of whole prey. The esophageal epithelium is pseudostratified, containing cells secreting neutral and acid mucins. At the esophagogastric transition, we found a mixture of this epithelium with a simple prismatic epithelium secreting neutral mucins. The esophagus lamina propria is thin and non-glandular. At the esophagogastric transition it becomes thick and filled by branched simple acinous glands, with cells secreting neutral mucins, zymogenic cells, and argentaffin endocrine cells, with no argyrophil cells. The mucins protect the esophageal mucosa and lubricate the channel to facilitate the passage of food, while pepsinogen in the stomach increases the levels of pepsin for proteolytic digestion. The muscular tunica is made up of smooth muscle cells. Ciliary action, in addition to muscle contractions, facilitates the swallowing of small prey.

Journal

Animal Biology – Brill

Published: Jan 1, 2015

Keywords: Anatomy; digestive tract; histochemistry; histology; reptile; scanning electron microscopy

References

  • Histological and histochemical studies on the esophagus, stomach and small intestines of Varanus niloticus
    Ahmed Y.A. El-Hafez A.A.E. Zayed A.E.
  • Histological and histochemical study of the digestive tract of the worm-like reptile, Diplometopon zarudnyi (Squamata)
    Al-Thani A.S. El-Sherif G.