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Histological Study of Bovine Hoof Development
Author(s) -
Hung Jun,
Grossman Ari,
RodriquezSosa Jose R.,
Ruiz Saul,
Hall Margaret I.,
Plochocki Jeffrey H.
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.2018.32.1_supplement.777.3
Subject(s) - hoof , anatomy , biology , dermis , prenatal development , fetus , epidermis (zoology) , laminitis , connective tissue , pathology , medicine , pregnancy , genetics , paleontology , horse
The ungulate hoof is a complex integumentary organ formed by epidermal and dermal layers that primarily serve to protect the enclosed digits. Each layer serves specific functions and their histological structure may vary throughout prenatal and postnatal development. Importantly, epidermal regions of the hoof interface with the underlying connective tissue layers of the dermis. This tissue interaction includes a system of dermal laminae that interdigitate with the epidermally‐derived horn to increase contact area between the tissues, thereby anchoring the outer hoof to the distal phalanx. Functionality of this system is necessary at birth to reduce risk of lameness, which is associated with bovine mortality. However, the development of this tissue interaction has not been thoroughly investigated in the cow. Here, we study hoof development in bovine fetuses (n=21) aged 60, 80, 110, and 165 days of gestation, which lasts approximately 283 days. Hindlimb hooves were dissected, sectioned at 5 microns, and stained with H&E. Micrographs of the sections show the major layers are present by day 60 of development. Distances between laminae vary slightly with age, but the morphological complexity of the laminar system is similar among the age groups, suggesting growth and maturation of these structures occurs earlier in development, closer to the time of organogenesis. Thus, the tissue morphology necessary to provide mechanical stability to the bovine hoof are present early in prenatal development. This abstract is from the Experimental Biology 2018 Meeting. There is no full text article associated with this abstract published in The FASEB Journal .