Folia Veterinaria 3-4/1995

Vol. 39, No. 3-4, 1995

Lamellar bone structure in small ruminants

Rajtová, V., Briančin, J*., Kokardová, M**.

University of Veterinary Medicine
Komenskeho 73
041 81 Kosice
Slovak Republic

* Institute of Material Research of the Slovak Academy of Sciences
Watsonova 45
040 01 Kosice
Slovak Republic

** Institute of Animal Physiology of the Slovak Academy of Sciences
Soltesovej 4
040 01 Kosice
Slovak Republic

Summary

Not many differences in the lamellar bone structure of sheep and goats have been found out. In both small ruminants, reduction and thickening of osteons occur in the compact tubular bones distally (from the humerus/femur towards the metapodium); it means that their arrangement is the densest in the metacarpus or metatarsus. Sporadic, large Harvesian systems were recorded in the compact tibia of both sheep and goats. On the surface of macerated bone specimens near the proximal foramen nutritium, there were traces left by the activity of osteoclasts. Osteoblasts (or very young osteocytes) were found "embedded" sporadically in a thin layer of a bone matrix. Osteoclasts were found only on the surface of the specimens of fresh bones, especially, the external surface of the remnant of intermetapodial septum, which will finish the process of its resorption.

Key words: bone structure; long bones; sheep; goat

This article is dedicated to the memory of the late Prof. P. P o p e s k o, DVM, DSc on the seventieth anniversary of his birth.

References

Folia Veterinaria / 1995