THE PHILIPPINE WATER BUFFALO

A. Bajado-Gajutos, Assistant Professor College of Veterinary Medicine,
University of Eastern Philippines, Catarman, Northern Samar
The microscopic anatomy of the testes and epididymis of
four Philippine-murrah crossbreds, three to four years of
age, was studied. The connective tissue of the testes was
made up mainly of collagen fibers, blood and lymphatic
vessels of various sizes, nerves and fibroblasts. The
parenchyma of the testes was composed of seminiferous
tubules separated from each by loose connective tissue,
the interstitium. The tubules were lined by spermatogenic
and sertoli cells. The interstitium consisted mainly of reticular
fibers, interstitial (leydig) cells, blood and lymphatic
vessels, nerves and fibroblasts. The interstitial cells
occurred singly or in groups near blood vessels. The
efferent ductules were lined by low columnar epithelium
consisting of columnar, basal and intraepithelial
lymphocytes. The epididymal duct in the head, body and
tail was lined by ciliated pseudostratified columnar epithelium
consisting of tall columnar, basal, clear and intra-epithelial
lymphocytes. The ducts contained spermatozoa of
increasing volume from the head to the tail region.
Keywords: microscopic anatomy, testis, epididymis,
Philippine-murrah crossbred, Bubalus bubalis Linn.
*MS Thesis, College of Veterinary Medicine, University
of the Philippines Los Baños, College, Laguna (1999).
Copy of the thesis is available at the library of the College
of Veterinary Medicine, University of the Philippines Los
Baños, College, Laguna. Part of the thesis was presented
in the 70 th Philippine Veterinary Medical Association Annual
Convention and Scientific Conference, February 19-21,
2003 Bohol Tropics Resort, Tagbilaran, Bohol.
A-24
PALATINE PRINTING: AN ALTERNATIVE METHOD
FOR THE IDENTIFICATION OF CARABAO (Bubalus
bubalis L.)*
A. S. Galicia , Student
Palatine printing was performed in live carabaos. A palatine
print showed the actual configuration of the rostral third of
the hard palate. All the features of this part such as the
transverse ridges, dental pads, median raphe and the
incisive papilla were outlined in the prints. Upon closer
examination, no two palatine prints were exactly alike.
Prints taken by the same person from the same animal
were identical. Also, two palatine prints taken from the
same animal by different persons showed no difference.
Problems encountered during the palatine printing process
that have affected quality of the palatine prints included
10
ABSTRACT OF RESEARCHES ON
THE PHILIPPINE WATER BUFFALO
movement of the animal, failure of the mouth speculum to
adequately open the mouth of the animal, excessive
salivation of the animal, uneven ink application on the
mucosa, excessive salivation of the animal, uneven ink
application on the mucosa, and uneven digital pressure
during print taking. In spite of all these, however, the present
study proved that palatine printing can be used as an
alternative method of identification in the carabao.
Keywords: palatine printing, method for identification,
carabao, Bubalus bubalis
* Undergraduate thesis, College of Veterinary Medicine,
University of the Philippines Los Baños, 2002.
A-25
HISTOLOGY OF THE INTERSTITIAL TISSUE OF
THE TESTES WITH SOME ULTRASTRUCTURAL
OBSERVATIONS OF THE INTERSTITIAL (Leydig)
CELLS OF THE PHILIPPINE CARABAO (Bubalus
bubalis)*
J. G. Inoc, Student
C. P. Maala, Professor, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of the
Philippines Los Baños
The interstitial tissue and cells of the Philippine carabao
were histologically and ultrastructurally characterized,
respectively Collagen and reticular connective fibers were
markedly abundant while elastic fibers were few. Extensive
lymphatic vessels were present. Interstitial cells appeared
in cluster of five to seven and were closely associated
with the lymphatic vessels. Adjacent to the interstitial cells
were vacuoles, arterioles and capillaries. Few fibroblast
were also present. Ultrastructurally, the interstitial cells
were irregularly polyhedral in shape with variably shaped
nucleus. The nucleus was a ovoid and peripherally located
while the nucleolus was small and eccentrically located.
The hetero chromatin granules sometimes occurred in
clumps, dispersed and closely associated with the nuclear
membrane. The cytoplasm was filled with smooth
endoplasmic reticulum large number of oval to round shape
mitochondria and were scattered among the smooth
endoplasmic reticulum. Their cristea were poorly defined
but dense bodied within were observed. Rough
endoplasmic reticulum, lipid droplets, golgi elements and
membrane-bound bodies were visible in the cytoplasm. In
general, the ultrastructural characteristics of the bubaline
interstitial cells observed in the Philippine carabao were
identical with what have been reported for other species of
animals.
Keywords: carabao bull, interstitial cells, testes,
ultrastructural characteristics, Bubalus bubalis