THE MORPHOLOGY OF THE THYMUS IN BUFFALO FETUSES (Bubalus bubalis):SHAPE LOCATION AND ARTERIAL SUPPLY

The specialized literature does not inform on the anatomical aspects of the thymus of buffalos. Considering the important characteristics that organ during the phases of its development and involution, because it is a transitory organ, the present research has been taken aiming to offer subsidies to the knowledge of this organ. For such purpose, 30 buffalos fetuses, males and females, collected at slaughterhouses from the West Region of Paraná State, were used. They were injected, through the umbilical arteries, with colored Neoprene latex solution, with metallic stems of compatible diameter and syringes being applied moderated handy pressure for the total repletion of the arterial system. After such procedures those specimens were fixed in a 10% formalin aqueous solution % and later dissected by the removal of the thoracic walls, right and left, and dissection, for plans, of the whole cervical area. Until the present moment six fetuses were dissected. The analysis of their morphology revealed that: a) in regard to its morphology, the thymus of the buffalo displays a thoracic lobus quite developed and a cervical lobus; this last one shows three very defined parts in a caudal median portion and two cranial lateral portions, the latter being united to the first through isthmuses; the cranial extremity of each one of the cranial parts of the cervical lobus outlines, in a semicircle, the occipital artery, close to the angle of the mandible; b) the arterial branches destined to the thymus rich it in a direct or indirect way; c) the direct branches originated from the common carotid arteries, internal and external thoracic arteries, superficial cervicals, intercostal supreme, brachiocefalic trunk, thoracic aorta, internal carotids, maxillaries, occipitals and caudal auriculars; d) the thoracic lobus of the thymus was served by branches, direct and/or indirect, coming from the thoracic aorta, brachiocefalic trunk, internal thoracic and supreme intercostal arteries; already the cervical lobus of the organ, independent of their parts, is served by arterial branches, direct and/or indirect, originating from the common carotid arteries, superficial cervicals, external thoracics, internal carotids, maxillaries, occipitals and caudal auriculars.