Volume 12
Issue 2
Veterinary Medicine
JOURNAL OF
POLISH
AGRICULTURAL
UNIVERSITIES
Available Online: http://www.ejpau.media.pl/volume12/issue2/abs-10.html
TOPOGRAPHIC AND MACROSCOPIC CHARACTERISTICS OF LIVER IN RED-EARED TURTLE (TRACHOMYS SCRIPTA ELEGANS) AFTER HIBERNATION. PART I
Krzysztof Marycz1, Joanna Kleækowska-Nawrot2, Krzysztof Maksymowicz3, Ewa Wojciechowicz4
1 Electron Microscope Laboratory,
Departament of Animal Hygiene and Ichthyology,
Wroc³aw University of Environmental and Life Sciences, Poland
2 Department of Anatomy and Histology,
University of Environmental and Life Sciences in Wroc³aw, Poland
3 Department of Forensic Medicine,
Medical University of Wroc³aw, Poland
4 Electron Microscopy Laboratory,
University of Environmental and Life Sciences in Wroc³aw, Poland
ABSTRACT
The topographical and morphological studies on the liver were carried
out on 22 red-eared turtles. The material obtained between the years 2002-2006
came from the Zoological Garden in Poznañ, Poland, where similar zoohygienic-sanitary
conditions prevail. The turtles stayed in pools located in the open area. The
turtles hibernated in conditions similar to natural habitat without human interference.
Since the beginning of October, 2006 the turtles received decreasing portions
of food with the aim of introducing the animals into hibernation.
The histological analysis was performed by staining the histological
preparations of the red-eared turtle liver by means of Haematoxylin and Eosin
method according to Delafield.
The morphometric analysis was carried out with the application of
the Medium programme conjugated with the light microscope (Carl Zeiss Axio Imager, Gottingen, GERMANY). The total
hepatocytes surface area was estimated on the working surface of preparations
0.5x0.5cm. The statistical analysis included the total hepatocytes surface area.
The leaver and the gall bladder were described macroscopically and topographically
before and after hibernation.
In the statistical studies on changes of the hepatocytes surface area
before and after hibernation t-Student test for independent trials was conducted.
The studies included individuals in two annual cycles. The aim of the research
was to define if the change of the hepatocytes surface area before and after
hibernation is statistically significant.
The significance level for for all the performed statistical tests
was established as p < 0.05. Based on the conducted statistical analysis significant
differences were demonstrated in the surface area of separate hepatocytes before
and after hibernation. In all the examined turtles hepatocytes contracted by
15% after hibernation. In the hibernating animals a decrease in the body mass
by 10% was observed. The body mass loss after hibernation was included in the
range 130–260g.
Key words: turtles, Red-Eared Turtle, liver, hepatocytes.
Krzysztof Marycz
Electron Microscope Laboratory,
Departament of Animal Hygiene and Ichthyology,
Wroc³aw University of Environmental and Life Sciences, Poland
Ko¿uchowska 5b, 50-375 Wroc³aw, Poland
Phone: +48 71 320 58 88
email: krzysztofmarycz@interia.pl
Joanna Kleækowska-Nawrot
Department of Anatomy and Histology,
University of Environmental and Life Sciences in Wroc³aw, Poland
Ko¿uchowska 1/3, 51-631 Wroc³aw, Poland
Phone: +48 71 320 57 44
email: lestat_v@poczta.onet.pl
Krzysztof Maksymowicz
Department of Forensic Medicine,
Medical University of Wroc³aw, Poland
Mikulicza-Radeckiego 4, 50-368 Wroc³aw, Poland
email: maks@forensic.am.wroc.pl
Ewa Wojciechowicz
Electron Microscopy Laboratory,
University of Environmental and Life Sciences in Wroc³aw, Poland
Ko¿uchowska 5b, 51-631 Wroc³aw, Poland
Responses to this article, comments are invited and should be submitted within three months of the publication of the article. If accepted for publication, they will be published in the chapter headed 'Discussions' and hyperlinked to the article.