Histological and ultra-structural studies on the reticuloepithelial and lymphoid cells of thymus in Kadaknath fowl

Panwar, V.S., Gupta, S.K. and Karmore, S.K. 2020. Histological and ultra-structural studies on the reticuloepithelial and lymphoid cells of thymus in Kadaknath fowl. Indian Journal of Poultry Science, 55(3): 143–146.

The lymphoid tissue plays an important role in the defense against all pathogen. Out of the primary lymphoid organs, the thymus is first lymphoid organ formed in the developing embryos. The rapid growth of the thymus take place just after birth of the poultry for the production of large number of mature T-cells due to large exposure of antigens. Twenty five Kadaknath birds from day old to thirty weeks of age divided into five groups were reared in college poultry farm. In the thymus of Kadaknath fowls of different age groups, histomorphological and ultrastructural studies was performed to observe the details of reticuloepithelial cells and lymphoid cells. The fibrous capsule was surrounding the gland and the parenchyma of the gland was consisted of outer cortex and inner medulla. In the parenchyma of the thymic gland dark, pale and a third type of reticuloepithelial cells were observed. Similarly small, medium and large sized lymphocytes were also observed in the parenchyma of the gland. But the number of these lymphocytes were more in the cortex than the medulla. Histologically in the lymphocytes a rim of light coloured cytoplasm was observed around the dark coloured clumped chromatin nucleus. These cells were responsible for defense against all the pathogens.