Density of primary and secondary epidermal laminae of equine hoof

Abstract

Brasília, Differences in the microscopic morphology of the hoof in forelimbs and hindlimbs of horses have been scarcely reported in the literature, especially concerning the distribution of primary and secondary epidermal laminae in the different regions. This study aimed to determine the density of primary and secondary epidermal laminae in the hoof of horses. For this, it was used fore and hindlimbs of 16 adult mixed breed horses. With a cross section 0.5 cm above the sole, it was quantified the primary epidermal laminae in the regions of the toe, and of lateral and medial quarters. Fragments with about 1cm ³ were taken from the proximal, middle and distal thirds of the hooves, in the different regions, subjected to conventional histological techniques and examined with an optical microscope. Data were statistically analyzed in relation to the fore and hindlimbs and between their various regions. The density of primary epidermal laminae varied around the hoof circumference, with greater values in the hoof toe, which gradually decreased towards the bulb of the hoof, without difference between thoracic and pelvic limbs. The average density of the secondary epidermal laminae per primary epidermal lamina does not change around the circumference of the hoof. Our findings indicated that the density of epidermal laminae is not different between fore and hindlimbs. The variation in the density of primary epidermal laminae around the hoof seems to be part of an adaptive response to different stresses in each region. A better understanding of the structural morphology contributes to a better understanding of the diagnosis, pathophysiology, and treatment of disorders that affect the hoof. RESUMO.-[Densidade das lâminas epidérmicas primá-rias e secundárias nos cascos de equinos.]Diferenças na morfologia microscópica dos cascos dos membros pélvicos e torácicos dos equinos têm sido pouco relatadas na literatura, principalmente no tocante a distribuição de lâminas epidérmicas primárias e secundárias nas diversas regiões. O propósito deste estudo foi quantificar a densidade de lâminas epidérmicas primárias e secundárias no casco de equinos. Foram utilizados membros torácicos e pélvi-cos de oito equinos adultos e sem raça definida. Em uma secção transversal de aproximadamente 0,5cm de altura da sola dos cascos foi quantificada a densidade das lâmi-nas epidérmicas primárias tanto na região da pinça quanto dos quartos lateral e medial. Fragmentos com aproximadamente 1cm³ foram retirados dos terços proximal, mé-dio e distal do casco, nas diferentes regiões e submetidos a técnica histológica convencional, a densidade de lâminas epidérmicas secundárias foi quantificada com auxilio de microscópio óptico. Os dados foram analisados estatisticamente em relação aos membros torácicos e pélvicos e entre suas diversas regiões. A densidade de lâminas epidérmicas primárias varia ao redor da circunferência do casco, sendo maior na região da pinça do casco e diminui gradualmente em direção ao bulbo do casco, não existindo diferença

In vitro Characteristics of Heterogeneous Equine Hoof Progenitor Cell Isolates

“…Within a keratinized hoof wall, the last phalanx of the third digit is suspended by the stratum internum (lamellatum) (Pollitt, 1998), an attachment that can be permanently and fatally disrupted by inflammation within the hoof wall known as laminitis (Johnson et al, 1998; Pollitt and Daradka, 1998; Morgan et al, 1999; Longland and Byrd, 2006; Van Eps and Pollitt, 2009). Following damage, complex hoof architecture is replaced with abundant, poorly organized tissue (Hunt and Wharton, 2010; Barreto-Vianna et al, 2013), and current treatments to restore normal tissue after disruption are largely unsuccessful (Atala et al, 2010).…”