Morphology in horses refers to the study of the form and structure of the equine body, including the skeletal, muscular, and integumentary systems. This field encompasses the examination of physical characteristics such as body conformation, limb structure, and cranial features, which can influence a horse's performance, health, and suitability for various activities or disciplines. Morphological assessments are often used in breeding programs to select for desirable traits and in veterinary evaluations to identify potential anatomical issues. This page aggregates peer-reviewed research studies and scholarly articles that explore the methodologies, findings, and implications of morphological studies in equine science.
Naem S.Habronema muscae (Spirurida: Habronematidae) occurs in the stomach of equids, is transmitted by adult muscid dipterans and causes gastric habronemiasis. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was used to study the morphological aspects of adult worms of this nematode in detail. The worms possess two trilobed lateral lips. The buccal cavity was cylindrical, with thick walls and without teeth. Around the mouth, four submedian cephalic papillae and two amphids were seen. A pair of lateral cervical papillae was present. There was a single lateral ala and in the female the vulva was situated in the mid...
Payan-Carreira R, Quaresma M, Oliveira-Martins T, Silva JR.This report describes a case of blind vagina diagnosed during a pre-breeding evaluation of a 5-year-old crossbred Lusitano mare. This mare was mated twice during the previous breeding season but remained open. Clinical evaluation revealed the existence of follicles in the ovaries and an enlarged uterus. An ultrasound examination showed that a granular free-floating fluid distended the uterus. No connection was detected between the uterus and the vagina and a presumptive diagnosis of congenital vaginal obstruction was raised. On vaginal examination it was noticed that the vagina was short in de...
Florence L, McDonnell SM.Despite growing interest in application natural models of hoof-maintenance in domestic horses, little data is available to describe natural conformation and proposed mechanisms of self-maintenance. Objective: Quantitatively describe hoof growth and wear during a period of 'self-trimming' within a herd of semi-feral ponies. Methods: Hoof length, growth and wear were measured for a sample of 40 animals during a period of 'self-trimming' from June through September, 2005. Results: For front hooves, mean toe lengths in July, August and September were significantly less than in June. For the hind, ...
Cassart D, Baise E, Cherel Y, Delguste C, Antoine N, Votion D, Amory H, Rollin F, Linden A, Coignoul F, Desmecht D.There is a lack of well documented studies about muscular lesions in equine atypical myopathy (EAM). Objective: To characterise morphopathological changes of striated muscles and myocardium, to progress understanding of this disease. Methods: Thirty-two horses age 0.5-7 years kept on pasture were referred for a sudden ataxia/myoglobinuria syndrome. Clinical examination (stiffness, muscle pain, muscle fasciculations, abnormal gait, recumbency, myoglobinuria, tachycardia, sweating) and plasma CPK, LDH and AST levels were consistent with extensive myonecrosis and, together with anamnestic data, w...
Weller R, Pfau T, May SA, Wilson AM.Assessment of conformation is commonly used in the selection of horses for performance purposes. Little information is available on the normal range of conformational traits within the Thoroughbred population. Objective: To describe variations in conformation in a cohort of racing Thoroughbreds in order to provide a set of baseline standards within which conformational traits can be considered normal. Methods: Ninety-eight conformational parameters were measured in a cohort of 108 National Hunt racehorses using a digital motion analysis system. The measurements consisted of segment lengths, jo...
Bourges-Abella N, Raymond-Letron I, Diquelou A, Guillot E, Regnier A, Trumel C.To describe the cells observed in conjunctival brush cytology (CBC) from normal horses and compare these findings with conjunctival structural histology so as to understand which cells are recovered from CBC. Methods: This study was divided into three parts. (1) Conjunctival brush smears were collected from 20 healthy horses on both eyes and a differential count on 300 cells was carried out on May Grünwald-Giemsa (MGG) smears. (2) A similar protocol was used for whole eyes from five horses obtained rapidly after death from a slaughterhouse. The eyes were then assessed for conjunctival histolo...
Lancaster LS, Bowker RM, Mauer WA.To quantify the density of primary epidermal laminae (PELs) around the solar circumference and evaluate the relationship between regional PEL density and hoof capsule morphology in horses. Methods: Forefeet from nine 3-year-old Quarter Horse cadavers. Methods: Data pertaining to gross features of hoof morphology and PEL variables, including number, density, and distribution patterns around the perimeter of the hoof wall and number of bar PELs, were collected. Tissues of the laminar junction were examined histologically. Results: No significant differences were found between left and right fore...
Górecka A, Słoniewski K, Golonka M, Jaworski Z, Jezierski T.There are studies on the relationship between the position and shape of hair whorls on bovine forehead and phenotypic traits. According to anecdotal beliefs by horse users and handlers, temperamental traits may be related to the position of hair whorls in horses. No previous research on the mechanisms of inheritance of hair whorls has been performed, so the aim of the present study was to determine the heritability of the position of the hair whorl on the forehead of Konik horses. The horses (n = 362) were classified into five groups based on the whorl position on forehead with respect to the ...
Bidwell LA, Bowker RM.To evaluate morphologic changes of the stratum internum of hooves from near-term fetal, newborn, and yearling horses. Methods: Feet from 27 near-term equine fetuses, 19 newborn foals, and 8 yearlings. Methods: Primary epidermal laminae (PEL) of the stratum internum were examined for evidence of architectural changes. Results: In near-term fetuses, the PEL had a homogeneous appearance and symmetric distribution around the hoof wall with no significant differences in PEL density between the toe and quarters. However after birth, branched laminae at the toe formed within the first few weeks, whic...
Veeramachaneni DN, Moeller CL, Sawyer HR.Conventional light microscopic evaluation of a seminal ejaculate does not fully avail potential indicators of functional impairment in spermatozoal organelles. The technique of critical quantitative evaluation of morphologic features of individual structural components of spermatozoa at a light microscopic level in conjunction with critical qualitative evaluation of spermatozoal organelles at an ultrastructural level, as described in this article, is a valuable clinical tool. Compared with a battery of sperm function assays used in human andrology clinics, this relatively less expensive and si...
Kútvölgyi G, Stefler J, Kovács A.A simple trypan blue-neutral red-Giemsa staining procedure for simultaneous evaluation of acrosome, sperm head, and tail membrane integrity and morphology has been used to evaluate equine spermatozoa. Some special characteristics and problems have arisen in evaluating stallion semen. One problem was the differentiation of intact vs. damaged sperm tails primarily in frozen and thawed samples. After freezing and thawing, a high percentage of spermatozoa with an unstained head and stained tail were observed. These cells are considered immotile. Therefore, unambiguous differentiation of intact vs....
Bischofberger AS, Konar M, Ohlerth S, Geyer H, Lang J, Ueltschi G, Lischer CJ.The diagnosis of lameness caused by proximal metacarpal and metatarsal pain can be challenging. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) offers the possibility for further diagnosis but there have been no studies on the normal MRI appearance of the origin of the suspensory ligament (OSL) in conjunction with ultrasonography and histology. Objective: To describe the MRI appearance of the OSL in fore- and hindlimbs of sound horses and compare it to the ultrasonographic and histological appearance. The findings can be used as reference values to recognise pathology in the OSL. Methods: The OSL in the fore...
Staszyk C, Wulff W, Jacob HG, Gasse H.The objective of this study was to examine the spatial arrangement of the fiber apparatus of the equine periodontium which is supposed to meet two contrary requirements: (1) to attach the tooth firmly and elastically to the alveolar bone; and, to be appropriately remodeled and reconstructed in order to facilitate the prolonged eruption of the tooth. Specimens of periodontal ligament were obtained from the buccal and lingual/palatal aspects of the first molars from the maxilla and mandible of 12 horses. The animals were assigned to three age groups. Histological sections were prepared from thre...
López ML, Olea N, Retamal CA.Freeze-fracture replicas of stallion spermatozoa, collected from the proximal caput, corpus and cauda epididymides regions, were analyzed by electron microscopy to explore the distribution and density of intramembrane particles (IMP). Conspicuous differences in density and arrangement of the IMP were observed in the different topographical domains of mature and immature spermatozoa. A reduction of IMP, especially remarkable in the post-acrosomal domain, was observed in mature epididymal spermatozoa when compared with samples collected from ductuli efferentes. Some structural species-specific d...
Staszyk C, Gasse H.Fibroblasts and cementoblasts in the periodontal ligament (PDL) of equine cheek teeth were harvested, and monocultures were obtained by means of a "selective detachment" procedure. Cells were characterized by morphological criteria and by immunostaining for vimentin, FVIII, pan-cytokeratin, smooth muscle actin, and pro-collagen. Cementogenic potential of the cells was determined by immunostaining for osteopontin and by histochemical detection of alkaline phosphatase. Equine periodontal fibroblasts (EPF) were spindle-shaped and polygonal. Equine dental cementoblasts (EDC) grew in cobblestone-li...
Valentine BA, Cooper BJ.Muscle samples from 24 horses with polysaccharide storage myopathy were stained with periodic acid-Schiff (PAS) stain and were immunostained for ubiquitin. Abnormalities detected with PAS stain were coarse granular cytoplasmic aggregates of amylase sensitive glycogen, subsarcolemmal aggregates of glycogen, central amylase sensitive bodies, and a variety of subsarcolemmal to intracytoplasmic amylase resistant polyglucosan inclusions. All amylase resistant inclusions were positive for ubiquitin. Ubiquitin was also detected in many amylase sensitive inclusions. Based on morphologic findings and p...
Blanco A, Moyano R, Vivo J, Flores-Acuña R, Molina A, Blanco C, Monterde JG.Purkinje cerebellar cells were studied in three Arabian horses aged between 6 and 8 months with clinical disorders in their movements, tremors and ataxia; the occurrence of apoptosis in this cell population was investigated by the (terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase biotin-dUTP nick-end labelling (TUNEL) method. Both optical and electron microscopical images showed a scant number of Purkinje cells, most of them with morphological features of apoptosis such as condensation of the nucleus and cytoplasm as well as segregation and fragmentation of the nucleus into apoptotic bodies. The TUNEL te...
Smith KJ, Bertone AL, Weisbrode SE, Radmacher M.To identify patterns and correlations of gross, histologic, and gene expression characteristics of articular cartilage from horses with osteoarthritis. Methods: 10 clinically normal horses and 11 horses with osteoarthritis of the metacarpal condyles. Methods: Metacarpophalangeal joints were opened and digitally photographed, and gross lesions were scored and quantified. Representative cartilage specimens were stained for histologic scoring. Total RNA from dorsal and palmar articular surfaces was processed on an equine gene expression microarray. Results: Histologic scores were greater in both ...
Evans KE, McGreevy PD.There is a lack of an established method for quantifying equine skull morphology. This study proposes a method that is valid for use on both live and deceased horses. A total of nine head measurements (skull length, cranial length, nasal length, ratio of cranial:nasal length, cranial width, zygomatic width, mandibular depth, nasal profile area, cranial profile area) and six indices (skull index, cranial index, nasal index, mandibular index, nasal profile index, cranial profile index) were recorded from 30 horses from a variety of breeds whilst the soft tissues of the head were intact. A line w...
Rezaian M.Histology of the tongue, including apex, root and body, in four adult Caspian miniature horses was examined. Serial sections with 6 mum thickness were stained with haematoxylin-eosin and Masson trichrome and studied under light microscope. The tongue was covered by stratified squamous epithelium. It was thick and keratinized bearing numerous lingual papillae on the dorsum, mostly filiform with a very fine keratinized thread projecting above the surface and bending backward. The fungiform papillae were sparsely scattered among the filiform papillae and covered with keratinized squamous epitheli...
Valentine BA, Taylor GH, Stone JK, Halse RR.Forty-four nodular and noninvasive cutaneous fungal granulomas were identified in 34 horses over a 14.5-year period. Cutaneous fungal granulomas were most common in young horses (mean age 6.1 +/- 4.2 years; range 1-19 years). There was no apparent breed or sex bias. Granulomas were either single or multiple, and most often occurred in the skin of the head and neck. The characteristic histological finding was a nodular dermal mass with a mean diameter of 7.3 mm (range 2.5-20 mm) and an intact overlying epithelium. Lesions most often exhibited intense lymphocytic inflammation, with admixed pyogr...
Bleul U, Theiss F, Rütten M, Kähn W.This case report describes a three-year-old Friesian stallion with hypospadias. Physical examination revealed a ventrocaudal deviation of the shaft of the penis and an incomplete glans penis. The urethral opening was 4 cm in length, slit-like and had a mucous membrane covering. A short fold ran from the ventral aspect of the anus and ended with a non-pigmented hairless area of skin. A human choriongonadotropin (hCG)-stimulation test resulted in an increase in the plasma levels of estrogen sulfate and testosterone, indistinguishable from that of a normal stallion. The karyogram had a normal num...
Dario C, Carnicella D, Dario M, Bufano G.A data set concerning 1,816 subjects entered in the Italian Horse Registry from 1925 to 2002 was analyzed to investigate the morphological evolution of the Murgese horse and to obtain useful elements to enhance breeding practices. Three basic body measurements (height at withers, chest girth, and cannon bone circumference) were considered for each subject. Heritabilities were calculated for each parameter to infer the growth and development traits of this breed. Over the past 20 years the Murgese horse has undergone considerable changes, passing from a typical mesomorphic structure (height at ...
Brinsko SP, Love CC, Bauer JE, Macpherson ML, Varner DD.Semen samples were collected from six fertile stallions and seven stallions with unexplained infertility. Percentages of motile sperm (77.5 +/- 11.3 versus 67.5 +/- 12.2, P = 0.2), and progressively motile sperm (70.8 +/- 13.6 versus 60.7 +/- 14.0, P = 0.2) were similar between fertile and subfertile stallions, respectively. Morphologic characteristics in ejaculates of control and affected stallions (% normal: 60.2 +/- 18.2 versus 52.9 +/- 11.3, P = 0.4; % abnormal heads 7.3 +/- 4.8 versus 12.1 +/- 5.0, P = 0.11; and % abnormal acrosomes 1.6 +/- 2.1 versus 3.0 +/- 3.4, P = 0.4) did not differ....
Burford JH, Corley KT.Pruritus following a single administration of 100 microg kg(-1) of preservative-free morphine sulphate given via an extradural catheter was seen in a 580 kg horse. The catheter was placed in the first intercoccygeal space. Focal irritation, represented by both local alopecia over the left gluteal muscles and serum exudation, occurred 4-8 hours after injection. This was attributed to the extradural morphine administration.
Love EJ, Lane JG, Murison PJ.To determine the effect of morphine administration on commonly monitored cardio-respiratory variables and recovery quality in horses undergoing anaesthesia and surgery. Methods: Prospective, randomized clinical study. Methods: Thirty-eight thoroughbred horses, 32 geldings and six mares, 3-13 years old, weighing 411-600 kg. Methods: A standard anaesthetic technique was used. Twenty minutes after induction of anaesthesia horses received 0.1 mg kg(-1) (0.1 m) or 0.2 mg kg(-1) (0.2 m) morphine by intravenous injection. A control group did not receive morphine. Heart rate, respiratory rate (fr), me...
Eckert J, Ossent P.A 14-year-old horse (imported to Switzerland from Ireland 8 years earlier) showed signs of chewing muscle atrophy. A severe chronic myositis, caused by numerous immature and mature female nematodes, was diagnosed in muscle samples obtained by biopsy and subsequently at necropsy. Most of the nematodes had invaded muscle fibres of the masseter, root of the tongue and anterior breast, only a few were found in the intermuscular interstitium. Isolated nematodes and parasite sections were clearly different from muscle larvae of Trichinella spp. but showed morphological similarities to Haycocknema pe...
Komosa M, Moliński K, Godynicki S.Horses bred nowadays are characterized by high variability of the body build. The variability concerns exterior features and skeleton features. From among the skeleton parts the skull is an element influenced by selection and environmental adaptation. The aim of these investigations was to find whether cranial traits exhibit variability in relation to the body build of horses. To do this, metric parameters of skulls of 43 horses used in the investigations were analysed with various statistical techniques. On the basis of ANOVA, Principal Components Analysis and Canonical Discriminant Analysis ...
Soffler C, Hermanson JW.We studied the forelimb interosseus muscle in horses, Equus caballus, to determine the muscular properties inherent in its function. Some authors have speculated that the equine interosseus contains muscle fibers at birth only to undergo loss of these fibers through postnatal ontogeny. We describe the muscle fibers in eight interosseus specimens from adult horses. These fibers were studied histochemically using myosin ATPase studies and immunocytochemically using several antibodies directed against type I and type II myosin heavy chain antibodies. We determined that 95% of the fibers were type...
Bahar S, Bolat D, Selcuk ML.Although the cervical spinal cord (CSC) of the horse has particular importance in diseases of CNS, there is very little information about its segmental morphometry. The objective of the present study was to determine the morphometric features of the CSC segments in the horse and possible relationships among the morphometric features. The segmented CSC from five mature animals was used. Length, weight, diameter, and volume measurements of the segments were performed macroscopically. Lengths and diameters of segments were measured histologically, and area and volume measurements were performed u...
Acker DA, Curran S, Bersu ET, Ginther OJ.To describe the gross and histologic changes that develop in the equine embryo proper (ie, the portion of the embryo that becomes the fetus) from days 17 to 40 after ovulation and to compare the external features of equine embryos with those of porcine, ovine, and human embryos. Methods: 34 embryos collected from mixed-breed pony mares. Methods: External features for each embryo proper, including length, number of branchial arches, growth of appendages, face and head features, and body features, were examined, using a dissecting microscope, for embryos collected on days 17 to 40. Internal feat...
Diaz-Espineira M, Escolar E, Bellanato J, Medina JA.The composition and crystal morphology of 141 equine sabulous deposits were determined by infrared spectroscopy (IR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX). The IR analysis revealed that all investigated deposits contained calcium carbonates (calcite, CaCO3, and/or vaterite, CaCO3) as major constituents; 42 samples were composed of calcite and vaterite, 33 of calcite, 18 of calcite/vaterite and calcium oxalate, and 17 of vaterite. The remaining specimens contained calcite/vaterite and other compounds (calcium phosphates, sulphate and/or oxalates and/or s...
Müller V, Moraes BDSS, Carvalho IR, Wendt CG, Patten RD, Nogueira CEW.The aim of this study was to estimate the genetic parameters for the morphometric measurements of withers height (WH), thoracic circumference (TC) and cannon bone circumference (CBC) of Criollo horses, stratified for maternal and paternal effects. Statistical genetic design of factor crossings was used to evaluate the offspring of full siblings and half-siblings. Fifty stallions were selected (n = 50) who had been crossed with six mares each (n = 6), to provide 300 parental pairings in which two offspring were born per mare (n = 600). WH in females and TC in males were highly influenced ...
Mahlobo-Shwabede SIC, Zishiri OT, Thekisoe OMM, Bakkes D, Bohloa L, Molomo M, Makalo MJR, Mahloane GR, Mtshali MS.A total of 3311 tick specimens were randomly collected from domestic animals including cattle, sheep, goats, horses, donkeys, and dogs from Lesotho districts namely, Berea, Butha-Buthe, Leribe, Mafeteng, Maseru, Mohale's Hoek, Mokhotlong, Qacha's Nek, Quthing and Thaba Tseka. Tick species were identified morphologically and verified by amplification and sequencing of the CO1 and 18S rRNA genes. Nine species were identified under different genera namely, Haemaphysalis elliptica 0.1% (n = 2), Hyalomma rufipes 2.6% (n = 87), Hy. truncatum 1.2% (n = 41), Otobius megnini 13.6% (n = 451), Rh...
Dik KJ, van den Belt AJ, van den Broek J.Estimating the shape of the proximal articular border of the navicular bone and grading the radiological navicular bone condition (grades 3 and 4 representing the most severe changes), the aim of this study was to assess potential age-related implications of the previously reported shape predisposition to navicular disease in 746 normal and 174 clinically affected Dutch Warmbloods age 3-19 years. A significant, age-independent, shape-grade association found in normal and affected horses emphasises the fundamental character of the shape predisposition to navicular disease. A significant age-rel...
Cozzi B.A combined ultrastructural and immunocytochemical study was performed on the pineal gland of the horse in order to identify the cell types present and describe their characteristics. Comparisons have been made with other mammals. Two main cell types are present: pinealocytes and glial cells. Pinealocytes display different degrees of electron density in the nucleus and the cytoplasm, yet no ultrastructural feature supports the idea of separate populations. Putative secretory materials are stored in vesicles related to the Golgi apparatus. A variety of electron-dense bodies are present in the cy...
Vachon AM, McIlwraith CW, Powers BE, McFadden PR, Amiel D.Using biodegradable pins, sternal cartilage autografts were fixed into osteochondral defects of the distal radial carpal bone in ten 2 to 3-year-old horses. The defects measured 1 cm2 at the surface and were 4 mm deep. Control osteochondral defects of contralateral carpi were not grafted. After confinement for 7 weeks, horses were walked 1 hour daily on a walker for an additional 9 weeks. Horses were euthanatized at 16 weeks. Half of the repair tissue was processed for histologic and histochemical (H&E and safranin-O fast green) examinations. The other half was used for the following bioch...
Rakhshandehroo E, Sharifiyazdi H, Shayegh H, Ahmadi A.Habronema muscae is a spirurid nematode that undergoes developmental stages in the stomach of equids, causing chronic catarrhal gastritis. Despite preceding investigations have developed polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based assays for molecular diagnosis, we aimed to assess the applicability of cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (cox1) sequences to identify the H. muscae infection and to assess the level of intraspecific variations in this parasite obtained from affected horses in Southern Iran. According to the morphological characterizations, two different isolates of H. muscae were identified....
Cuervo-Arango J, Newcombe JR.The most common pathological anovulatory condition that occurs spontaneously during the breeding season in the mare is the haemorrhagic anovulatory follicle (HAF). A relatively high proportion of mares, soon after ovulation, develop a corpus haemorrhagicum (CH) with a central lacuna. This type of corpora lutea may resemble an HAF, which may complicate the accurate diagnosis of ovulation. The main objective of this study was to compare the ultrasound data of mares examined frequently with HAFs and CHs to elucidate whether it is possible to distinguish them from each other. A total of 135 ovulat...
Vera L, Campos Arias D, Muylle S, Stergiopulos N, Segers P, van Loon G.Arterial rupture in horses has been observed during exercise, after phenylephrine administration or during parturition (uterine artery). In human pathophysiological research, the use of computer models for studying arterial hemodynamics and understanding normal and abnormal characteristics of arterial pressure and flow waveforms is very common. The objective of this research was to develop a computer model of the equine arterial circulation, in order to study local intra-arterial pressures and flow dynamics in horses. Morphologically, large differences exist between human and equine aortic arc...
Vincelette AR, Renders E, Scott KM, Falkingham PL, Janis CM.The traditional story of the evolution of the horse (family Equidae) has been in large part about the evolution of their feet. How did modern horses come to have a single toe (digit III), with the hoof bearing a characteristic V-shaped keratinous frog on the sole, and what happened to the other digits? While it has long been known that the proximal portions of digits II and IV are retained as the splint bones, a recent hypothesis suggested that the distal portion of these digits have also been retained as part of the frog, drawing upon the famous Laetoli footprints of the tridactyl (three-toed...
McEntee MF.Thirty equine cutaneous mastocytomas were examined histologically and two were studied ultrastructurally. Lesions were characterized by distinct sheets of well-differentiated mast cells with variable degrees of eosinophil infiltration, collagen degeneration, necrosis, granulomatous inflammation and fibrosis. Twenty-two of 25 growths did not recur for up to 6 years after surgical excision, two recurred at the surgical site and one spontaneously regressed less than 3 months after obtaining a biopsy sample. Equine cutaneous mastocytoma is a benign proliferative lesion which seldom recurs after ex...
Whishaw IQ, Kolb B.A human physical asymmetry is the near 90% clockwise occipitoparietal scalp hair-whorl direction in Europeans, an incidence that approximates the left lateralization of speech and right-handedness. Hair-whorl direction is also asymmetric in horses, Equus ferus caballus and placement is proposed to be related to temperament and lateralized skill in equitation manoeuvres. We describe a hair-whorl asymmetry in the horse, mane direction. Of 526, 3-year-old American Quarter horses, 69% of horses had mane directed to the right and 31% had mane directed to the left. The bias was larger in females, wi...
Hawkes CS, Hahn CN, Dixon PM.Dysfunction of the muscles is implicated in the pathogenesis of intermittent dorsal displacement of the soft palate (DDSP) in exercising horses. The histological features of normal equine soft palate muscles have not been previously described. Objective: To describe the histological and morphometric features of normal equine soft palate muscles. Methods: The palatinus, palatopharyngeus, levator veli palatini and tensor veli palatini muscles of 6 Thoroughbred type horses were examined histologically and histochemically to assess their general morphology, fibre-type distribution and mean fibre d...
Komosa M, Purzyc H, Fraackowiak H.The main aim of the study was to compare the shape of navicular bones classified as normal and pathologically changed. A comparison of metric features of the navicular bone between different types of horses and associating the examined parameters to the size of the middle and distal phalanges was an additional aspect of the study. The material comprised 53 horses of various breeds which were divided into three types. Through anatomical examinations it was concluded that as many as 30 navicular bones were normal, while 23 were found to present pathological changes. The following methods of stat...
McGorum BC, Pirie RS, Shaw D, Macintyre N, Cox A.Diagnosis of equine grass sickness (EGS) can be challenging. We hypothesised that subgemmal plexus neurons are chromatolytic in EGS. If correct, histopathological examination of gustatory papillae biopsies could aid premortem diagnosis of EGS, and EGS could represent a spontaneous model of subgemmal neuronal chromatolysis to facilitate study of the pathology of structures involved in taste. Objective: To compare subgemmal plexi and gustatory papillae in EGS and control horses. Methods: Observational study. Methods: Conventional histology and immunohistochemistry were used to compare subgemmal ...
Farrar RG, Klei TR.Strongylus edentatus was successfully cultured in vitro to the fourth larval stage (L4). Some growth continued for periods of 40-50 days at which time reductions in viability were observed in some of the culture systems tested. Various combinations of media, sera, buffers and organ explant cultures were tested. All cultures were incubated at 37 C in an atmosphere of 95% air and 5% CO2. Larvae underwent growth and differentiation to the L4 in all medium-serum combinations with and without organ explant cultures. Development and growth did occur but viability was reduced to insignificant levels ...
Panu R, Bo Minelli L, Sanna L, Zedda M, Acone F, Gazza F, Palmieri G.The retractor clitoridis muscle originates from the coccygeal vertebrae in the cow, ewe, goat and mare, and from the anal musculature in the sow. It terminates at the base of the clitoris. In all the species considered, a vegetative innervation was found. This was represented by isolated or grouped ganglion cells. Nervous sensitive supply was also present. This was represented by Pacinian, Pacinian-like and Golgi-Mazzoni's corpuscles, and by Krauses's end bulbs. A notable difference was found in the amount and type of these receptors. They were numerous in the sow, ewe and goat, and rare in th...
Heinze W, Ptak W.The metacrylate and latex corrosion techniques were used to establish that the vascular system of testes is based on one coherent principle in common domestic mammals. The cone-shaped Plexus pampiniformis consists of numerous venous rami, between 0.25 mm and 1.0 mm in thickness and forming a dense vascular network, which practically encase the spiral-shaped A. spermatica interna (cooling coil principle). The testicular veins and arteries in the Tunica albuginea constitute a somewhat voluminous layer of vessels for dissipation of heat, with rami branching off radially into the testicular parenc...
Gable TL, Woods GL.The objective was to test the hypothesis that increasing equine oocyte culture time from 48 to 96 or 144 h increases nucleus maturation of equine oocytes. The hypothesis was not supported because condensed chromatin-stage oocytes decreased (P<0.01) from 33/126 (26.2%) at 48 h or 34/95 (35.8%) at 96 h to 11/117 (9.4%) at 144 h, and polar body-stage oocytes decreased (P<0.01) from 65/126 (51.6%) at 48 h to 25/95 (26.3%) at 96 h and (P<0.01) to 1/117 (0.9%) at 144 h. Negative (non-staining) oocytes increased (P<0.01) from 16/126 (12.7%) at 48 h or 15/95 (15.8%) at 96 h to 39/117 (33.3%) at 144 h....
Bruyas JF, Sanson JP, Battut I, Fiéni F, Tainturier D.Early (day 6) equine embryos (n=23) were assigned to four treatment groups to assess the cryoprotectant properties of glycerol and ethylene glycol and the effect of adding sucrose during removal of the cryoprotectant: (i) group GG (n=5) embryos were frozen and thawed using 1.5 mol glycerol l(-1) as the cryoprotectant, which was added at 22 degrees C in four steps (0.375, 0.75, 1.125 and 1.5 mol glycerol l(-1)), and removed after thawing in five steps (1.5, 1.125, 0.75, 0.375 and 0.0 mol glycerol l(-1)); (ii) group GS (n=6) embryos were frozen and thawed using 1.5 mol glycerol l(-1) as for grou...
Parés-Casanova PM, Salamanca-Carreño A, Crosby-Granados RA, Bentez-Molano J.Skull size and shape have been widely used to study domestic animal populations and breeds. Although several techniques have been proposed to quantify cranial form, few attempts have been made to compare the results obtained by different techniques. While linear morphometrics has traditionally been used in breed characterization, recent advances in geometric morphometrics have created new techniques for specifically quantifying shape and size. The objective of this study was to compare two morphometric methods for their ability to describe external morphology. For this purpose, 20 skull specim...
Mätz-Rensing K, Drommer W, Kaup FJ, Gerhards H.Ten horses with partial or total retinal detachment were investigated using light and electron microscopy (TEM, SEM). Several lesions were observed and compared with normal retinal morphology. Three weeks after the initial retinal detachment, hypertrophy of the pigment epithelium with transformation of the apical microvilli could be observed. The lesions were accompanied by progressive degeneration and atrophy of the sensory retina, starting at the photoreceptor outer segments. Hypertrophy of Müller cells was a concomitant finding. Retinal detachment represents a sequel either to inflammatory...
Gómez-Torres F, Ruíz-Sauri A.The His bundle is a part of the specialized electrical conduction system that provides a connection between the atrial and ventricular myocardial compartments in both normal and abnormal hearts. The aim of this study was to perform a morphometric analysis of His bundle characteristics of in humans, dogs, horses and pigs and compare them in these studied species. Histological sections of 5 μm thickness were obtained and stained with hematoxylin-eosin and Masson's trichrome; the desmin and periodic acid-Schiff methods were also used for precise identification of cells. The His bundle was found...
Szalay F.The purpose of the present study was to demonstrate the structural maturation of the horse brain in the critical period of development emergence of coordinated locomotion. Equine brains from 14 days before expected birth to adulthood were fixed in formaldehyde and embedded in paraffin. After taking the outer parameters of the brains, full series of large-area coronal sections were prepared on a special microtome and stained with Nissl's cresyl violet and Haidenhain's iron-haematoxylin. Microscopic images of sections were digitized and were subjected to computer-aided image analysis. The gross ...
Chen Q, Klein JS, Gamsu G, Webb WR.High-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) was performed in 21 isolated animal lungs, from 4 mammalian species (pigs, rabbits, dogs, sheep). Gross and subgross central and peripheral lung morphology was determined by HRCT. Three distinct types of lungs can be identified, principally based on the extent of interlobular septal development; the relationship of major vessels to airways; and the thickness of the visceral pleura. Type-I lung is found in pigs, sheep, and cattle; type-II lung is found in rabbits, dogs, cats, and monkeys; and type-III lung is found in human beings and horses. These mam...
Famoso NA, Davis EB.Four groups of equids, "Anchitheriinae," Merychippine-grade Equinae, Hipparionini, and Equini, coexisted in the middle Miocene, but only the Equini remains after 16 Myr of evolution and extinction. Each group is distinct in its occlusal enamel pattern. These patterns have been compared qualitatively but rarely quantitatively. The processes influencing the evolution of these occlusal patterns have not been thoroughly investigated with respect to phylogeny, tooth position, and climate through geologic time. We investigated Occlusal Enamel Index, a quantitative method for the analysis of the comp...
Leleu C, Haentjens F.The demands in the Standardbred trotters industry require young, still growing horses, to be trained well above light exercise level. During that period, the risk of occurrence of energy imbalance and maladaptation to training is high. In man, the lack of energy homeostasis is considered as the basic problem in the development of chronic fatigue. Objective: To find objective biomarkers of early maladaptation to training in young racehorses under field conditions. Methods: Sixty-five 2-year-old Standardbreds were followed during their first 3 months of training in 5 different training centres. ...
Nicpoń J, Siudzińska A, Marędziak M, Śmieszek A, Basińska K, Koszykowska M.The influences of NSAIDs (Nonsteroidal Anti-inflammatory Drugs)--non-selective metamizole and selectively-acting tolfenamic acid were estimated on morphology, ultrastructure, and cytophysiological activity of canine (Ca) and equine (Eq) adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells (ASCs). The lowest concentration of metamizole (0.01 mg/mL) stimulated the viability and cytophysiological activity of Ca ASCs and did not affect cell morphology. Stimulated cells possessed a proper, fibroblastic shape, with large, eccentrically located nuclei. Similar effects to those observed in Ca ASCs were found in Eq ...
