Histochemical study of the oesophagus in the chukar partridge (Alectoris chukar) embryo

Study of the histogenesis of different organs is a useful laboratory method which helps us achieve accurate basic information about organ development during the embryonic period. It also reveals histological differences of each organ in different species. This research was carried out to study the histogenesis of the oesophagus of chukar partridge. For this purpose, the embryonated eggs were placed in the incubator and the embryos were collected between the 5th to 24th days of incubation period. The specimens were fixed in Bouin's solution, and routine histotechnique processes were performed. The slides were finally stained with haematoxylin-eosin, Periodic Acid Schiff, Alcian Blue and Masson Trichrome, and the developmental changes of the oesophagus during the embryonic period were studied by light microscope. The four layers of oesophagus, including, the mucosa, submucosa, tunica muscularis and advantitia/serosa, both in cervical and thoracic oesophagus, were studied. During days 5 to 24 of incubation, developmental events in the oesophagus such as changes in the oesophageal epithelium, formation of muscularis mucosae and tunica muscularis, development of the mucous glands and the type of their secretion, were observed. Finally the results were compared with those of other studied avian species and the similarities and differences were discussed.