Fifteen samples of the ostrich thymus glands were used to show the histological, histochemical and fine structure of the thymus glands. H&E, Gomori method and Crossman’s trichrome; PAS and alcian blue stain were used for histological and histochemical demonstration respectively. The gland consisted of lobes of different size separated from each other by fine strands of connective tissues. These lobes surrounded by CT capsule of collagen and reticular CT fibers. Each lobe was divided by the septa into numerous thymic lobules. Each lobule was consisted of cortex (Darkly stained area) and medulla (Lightly stained area). The parenchyma mainly consisted of lymphocytes (Thymocytes) and epithelial-reticular cells which were few in the cortex and numerous in the medulla. Hassal’s corpuscles were located in the center of the thymic lobules. It was consisted of concentric epithelial-reticular hyaline cells which appeared in different stages of degeneration. The ultrastructure of the thymic lobules showed numerous thymocytes of different size and epithelial-reticular cells between them. |
