%0 Journal Article
%T The adrenal gland of the African buffalo, Syncerus caffer: a light and electron microscopic study
%A Maria Teixeira
%A Beverley Kramer
%A J Hattingh
%J African Zoology
%D 2012
%I 
%X ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Although the histology of the adrenal gland of many mammals, particularly domestic animals, is known, the histology of that of the African buffalo, Syncerus caffer, has not been described previously. Tissue from seven male and female adult buffalo was processed for light and electron microscopy. The gland is surrounded by a connective tissue capsule which contains smooth muscle fibres. The cortex of the gland is divided into three distinct zones with the cells of the outer zone being arranged in arcades rather than in glomeruli. The cells of this zona arcuata and of the outer region of the fasciculata have features typical of steroid-producing cells. The inner part of the fasciculata is a broad, less vacuolated and more intensely stained region than the outer region. Cells of the zona reticularis are arranged in freely anastomosing cords and are less vacuolated than the arcuata and the outer part of the fasciculata. The medulla is characterized by two distinct regions: an outer region of cells with granules of varying electron density which do not stain specifically with the Masson-Fontana technique and an inner zone of cells containing intensely electron dense granules which are chromaffin positive. These cells are adrenaline- and noradrenaline-secreting cells, respectively. The structure of the gland is thus typical of that of other mammals.   **************   AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Alhoewel die histologie van die byniere van baie soogdiere, en veral huisdiere, goed bekend is, is die van die buffel, Syncerus caffer, nog nie voorheen beskryf nie. Weefsel van sewe manlike en vroulike buffels is voorberei vir beide lig- en elektronmikroskopie. Die klier word om ring deur 'n bindweefselkapsel wat gladdespiervesels bevat. Die korteks is verdeel in drie duidelike sones. Die selle van die buitenste sone is gerangskik in gange eerder as in glomeruli. Die selle in die sone, die zona arcuata en in die buitenste gedeelte van die zona fasciculata toon eienskappe tipies van die van stero ed produserende selle. Die binneste bre  sone van die zona fasciculata is minder gevakuoleerd en kleur meer intensief as die buitenste deel. Selle van die zona reticularis is gerangskik in vertakkende stringe en is minder gevakuoleerd as beide die arcuata en die buitenste gedeelte van die fasciculata. In die medulla word twee definitiewe gebiede onderskei: die buitenste sellul¨ºre gebied met granules van verskillende elektrondigthede wat nie spesifiek kleur met die Masson-Fontana tegniek nie, en 'n binneste sone met ho  elektron-digte chromaffien-positiewe granul¨ºr
%K adrenal gland
%K African buffalo
%K Syncerus caffer
%K light and electron microscopic study
%K histology of the adrenal gland
%K mammals
%K Tissue
%K zona arcuata
%K fasciculata
%K arcuata
%K zona reticularis
%K Masson-Fontana technique
%U http://africanzoology.journals.ac.za/pub/article/view/579