Gross and Histological Studies on the Harderian Gland of White Pekin Ducks (Anas platyrhynchos)

Abstract

The histomorphology of Harderian gland was studied in six apparently healthy adult white Pekin ducks. The gland was pale pink in colour and arrow shaped with a small dorsal and a large ventral lobe and was located ventrally on the caudo-medial aspect of the eyeball. A duct was seen at its rostral aspect which opened into the conjunctival sac at the base of the nictitating membrane. Histological studies revealed that the gland was covered by a capsule which divided parenchyma into lobes and lobules. The columnar epithelial cells of acini showed considerable variation in height. Whereas the duct was lined by pseudostratified epithelium and the secretion mode was apocrine. Large number of plasma cells were observed beneath the capsule, in the septa, in the interstitial tissue and beneath the epithelium lining the tubules.