Urogenital Tract Associated Lymphoid Tissues in Native Chicken ( Gallus gallus domesticus ) of Bangladesh.

Abstract

Considering the lack of research on local immunity of urogenital tract in native chickens than the high yielding chicken, the aim of this study was to determine the frequency of intraepithelial lymphocytes (ILT) and aggregated lymphoid tissue in that tract along with its morphological features. In addition, the study also aimed to establish the impact of bird’s age on the frequency of mucosal lymphoid tissue in uro-genital tract. For this purpose, different organs of the urogenital system from both male and female native chickens (age 1, 30, 90, and 180 days) were collected and stained with hematoxylin and eosin stain (H & E). From the present study, the lymphocytes can be characterized by spherical nucleus and clumps of chromatin near the nucleus membrane and scanty cytoplasm. The aggregated lymphoid tissue can be characterized by a cluster of a few cells to large aggregates of lymphocyte that lacks a limiting membrane, located in lamina propria usually below the basement membrane. The present study reveals both ILT and aggregated lymphoid tissue increased in the oviduct (at 90 days than 1 day); infundibulum, isthmus and uterus at 180 days than at 90 days. Aggregated lymphoid tissue in the testes of males and kidneys of both males and females, ILT in male ureter was increased with age. However, there was no significant variation (p> 0.05) in the mean of both ILT and aggregated lymphoid tissue with age. The highest number of ILT was seen in Epididymis at 90 days cock and aggregated lymphoid tissue in the infundibulum at 180 days hen. The study suggests that apparently the lymphoid tissue in mucosa of the urogenital tract in native chicken increases with age but statistically there is no significant variation of the mean of lymphoid tissue with age.