Histomorphogenesis of Atrium and Ventricles of Heart in Prenatal Goat (Capra hircus)

Abstract

A study was conducted on 36 healthy and normal goat foetuses collected from local slaughter houses of Mathura to know the detailed histomorphological structure of the atrium and ventricles of heart of goat at different stages of prenatal life. The embryo/fetuses were divided into three groups viz; Group-I (early prenatal period; d†50 days of gestation), Group-II (mid prenatal period; e†51 days and d†100 days of gestation) and Group-III (late prenatal period; e†101 days till parturition) comprising of 12 animals in each. Histologically upto 32 days of gestation the atrial and ventricular walls were made up of two layered tissues i.e. outer epimyocardial layer and inner endocardial layer. In 34 days goat embryo, the epimyocardium differentiated into epicardium and myocardium, thus the atrial and ventricular walls consisted of three layers. Purkinje fibers in subendocardium of ventricles were formed on 38th day of gestation. On 46th day the foetal heart attained the general structural features similar to the adult heart. In mid prenatal period the Purkinje fibers became multinucleated. Intercalated disc and muscle bundles lined with perimysium were present on 71 days of gestation.