Histology of the salivary glands in Euphractini (Mammalia, Xenarthra).

ESTECONDO S.; CODÓN SM.; CASANAVE, EMMA B.

Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias Universidad Nacional de La Plata, ARGENTINA

Congreso; IX NATIONAL CONGRESS OF MORPHOLOGICAL SCIENCES (9º Congreso Nacional de Ciencias Morfológicas); 2004

Sociedad Argentina de Ciencias morfológicas

21. HISTOLOGY OF THE SALIVARY GLANDS IN EUPHRACTINI (MAMMALIA, XENARTHRA) Estecondo S1, Codón SM1, Casanave EB2. 1,2UNS, Dpto. Biol., Bioq. y Fcia., San Juan 670, Bahía Blanca, 1Cát. de Histología Animal, E-mail: silviest@criba.edu.ar; 2Cát.Fisiología Animal; 2CONICET, E-mail: casanave@criba.edu.ar In this work we describe the comparative histology of the salivary glands of Chaetophractus villosus, C. vellerosus and Zaedyus pichiy. Pieces were fixed in Bouin´s fluid and were processed according to routine techniques. Three pairs of salivary glands are distinguished in the three species: submaxillary, parotid and sublingual. They are compound tubuloacinar glands surrounded by a capsule of dense connective tissue, which penetrates toward the interior of the glands. Septa of this connective tissue, divide the glands in lobes and lobules. Parotid glands are composed of serous acini. Two histologically different parts or lobes compose the submaxillary gland. The anterior part, with secretory portions containing mucous acini capped by large serous demilunes and serous acini. The posterior part is bigger and composed by seromucous acini with small serous demilunes and occasionally serous acini. There is a salivary bladder related with the anterior submaxillary gland. It is covered by epithelium and the major portion of the wall is composed of striated skeletal muscle. The sublingual gland is composed predominantly of mucous acini. The myoepithelial cells are associated with the acini and their ducts. Histologically, salivary glands are similar in the three species. The submaxillary gland composed of two lobes and the presence of a salivary bladder, coincide with the reported in other Xenarthra. Supported by grants from the SGCyT, UNS, Project 24/B086.