Histochemical Studies on Post Natal Development of Gut Associated Lymphoid Tissue (GALT) of Intestine of Pati Duck (Anas platyrhynchos domesticus) of Assam

Now a day’s poultry industry is the fastest growing industry in India. Duck is also one of the most important species in poultry industry and intensifying farming. Duck husbandry plays an important role in the socio-economic upliftment of the rural poor people of Assam. Theweird agro-climatic condition and having swampy and drenched areas existing in Assam provides a very congenial environment for rearing ducks (Deka et al., 2017). The popularity of duck is increasing in many areas of the world as ducks are one of the most versatile and useful of all domesticated animals and birds. India having 25.54 million of ducks (Population Division of the Department of Economic and Social Affairs of the United Nations Secretariat, 2014); out of that Assam possesses 8.4 million of ducks (Basic Animal Husbandry Statistics, 2014). As such Assam is one of the major duck rearing state in India. The Pati duck population constitutes a major indigenous duck variety in the state of Assam. The Annual egg production per Pati duck is 70-95 eggs, (Kalita et al., 2009). The study of the GALT of Pati duck of Assam is of great value in regard to normal academic and bio-medical research aspects. It is also pre-requisite for correct diagnosis and evaluating the treatment of certain diseases like duck virus enteritis, duck cholera, aflatoxicosis, botulism etc, caused by different types of pathogens, food poisoning and food allergy. The vaccination failure and failure to control the enteric disease is a cause of concern for poor farming community as it results in huge and irreparable economic loss. Since there is scanty of literature on histochemical studies of postnatal development of GALT of intestine of Pati duck at different stages of development being a local variety of Assam, hence the present study was designed to establish histo-chemical norms on, GALT of intestine at different stages of development of Pati duck of Assam.

The study was conducted on Pati duck of Assam in 45 numbers of ducks were selected by irrespective of sex at different stages of development. The birds were divided into five groups depending on its age viz., 1^st week, 4^th week, 16^th week, 24^th week and 42^nd weeks old. The ducks were procured from Pathsala and nearby area of Barpeta district of Assam. The experiment was conducted in the Department of Anatomy and Histology, College of Veterinary Science, Assam Agricultural University, Khanapara, Guwahati for a period of five years and the ducks were slaughter according to the method of Gracy (1986). The plan of experiment was approved by Institutional Ethic committee. After slaughter, the birds were placed on a clean dissecting table, and skin and fascia were reflected carefully without disturbing the organs. The abdominal cavity of each experimental birds were exposed by making a ventro-median incision and then the abdominal muscle layers, peritoneum and air sacs of abdominal region were reflected properly. In duck, the lymphoid tissues were visible to the naked eyes but in other avian species, these lymphoid tissues were not visible in naked eye. Then, the pieces of gut having lymphoid tissue or Peyer’s patches immediately collected. The samples were then preserved at liquid nitrogen (-196^oC). Samples were made cryosections (-20^oC) at 10µm in thickness and were temporally stored at (-22^oC). The histochemical staining wasdone according to Gomori’s alkaline phosphatase cobalt method and Gomori’s method for acid phosphatase (Singh and Sulochana, 1978); Lead method for ATPase (Bancroft, 2008) and Gomori’s method for non-specific esterase (Bancroft, 2008).

The acid phosphates’ activity was weak in the lymphoid follicles of intestine of 1 stand 4th week of age of Pati duck, while its activity was moderate in 16^th, 24^th and 42^th week of age of duck (Fig 1, 2 and Table 1). Gedam et al., (2017) reported that acid phosphatase activity was weak in lymphoid follicle of 6th week old Kadaknath fowl on the other hand its intensity was more in 18^th week of age. It might be due to different age groups and agro-climatic condition of the birds whereas Raju et al., (2012) observed that an intense enzyme activity was observed in the follicle associated epithelium and a dome area of ileal Peyer’s patches. A strong activity in the inter follicular region and a mild activity of the enzyme in the capsule were observed in the ileal peyer’s patches. A pattern of enzyme activity was noticed in the follicles.



​



The alkaline phosphatase activity was moderate reaction in the lymphoid follicles of intestine of 1^st and 4^th week of age of Pati duck, while its activity was intense in 16^th, 24^th and 42^th week of age (Fig 3, 4 and Table 1). Gedam et al., (2017) revealed that the alkaline phosphatase activity was weak to moderate in lymphoid follicle and then increased from moderate to strong in lymphatic of 6^th, 12^th and 18^th week old of Kadaknath fowl.





Representative samples from the small and large intestines of Pati duck were assessed for presence of ATPase. The lymphoid follicles of both Peyer’s patches and solitary lymphoid nodules were showed moderate activity for adenosine tri-phosphatase activity in 1^st week and 4^th week old Pati duck and strong activity in 16^th, 24^th and 42^th week of age, respectively (Fig 5, 6 and Table 1).





The lymphoid nodules of intestine showed strong reaction for non specific esterase activity in all the age groups of Pati duck (Fig 7 and Table 1). However, it could not be comparable due to paucity of literature.

The acid phosphatase activity was weak in the lymphoid follicles of 1^st and 4^th week of age of Pati duck, while its activity was moderate in 16^th, 24^th and 42^th week of age of duck. A strong activity in the inter follicular region and a mild activity of the enzyme in the capsule were observed in the ileal peyer’s patches. A pattern of enzyme activity was noticed in the follicles. The alkaline phosphatase activity was moderate reaction in the lymphoid follicles of 1^st and 4^th week of age of Pati duck, while its activity was intense in 16^th, 24^th and 42^th week of age. The lymphoid follicles of both Peyer’s patches and solitary lymphoid nodules were showed moderate activity for adenosine tri-phosphatase activity in 1^st week and 4^th week old Pati duck and strong activity in 16^th, 24^th and 42^th week of age, respectively. The lymphoid nodules of intestine showed strong reaction for non specific esterase activity in all the age groups of Pati duck.

All authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.