Histomorphogenesis of spleen in the Indian buffalo (Bubalus bubalis)

The present study was conducted on spleen from 14 buffalo foetuses age ranging from 51-323 days of gestation, i.e. 5.0-110.6 cm crown rump length (CRL) at 5 1 -day of foetal life. The splenic capsule was lined by simple squamous to low cuboidal epithelium. Immature collagen fibres were observed in the capsule at 74 days of foetal age. The thickness of the capsule and the trabeculae increased with advancement of age. The capsule and trabeculae became fibro-muscular by 166 days. The reticular fibres were appreciable in 90-day foetuses in capsule and trabeculae. In older foetuses reticular fibres were observed more frequently in capsule, trabeculae,and around the white pulp. Initially the splenic sinuses were usually found empty but occasionally cells belonging to erythropoietic and lymphopoietic series could be observed. Differentiation of red and white pulp began in 90-days old foetal spleen but clear-cut differentiation was seen at 158 days foetal age. Mature lymphocytes in periarterial lymphocytic sheaths (PALS) were observed in the foetuses of 323 days. At this age, reticular cells, erythrocytes, lymphocytes, macrophages, granulocytes and megakaryocytes were frequently observed in splenic pulp. The increase in proportion of white pulp was more as compared to red pulp with increase in foetal age.