Histology and lectin histochemistry in the vomeronasal organ of Korean native cattle, Bos taurus coreanae

Abstract

The vomeronasal organ (VNO) is critical for reproduction and social behavior in ruminants, including cattle. The present study examined the structure of the VNO and its epithelial cells in neonatal and adult Korean native cattle (Hanwoo), Bos taurus coreanae, using immunohistochemistry and lectin histochemistry. Histologically, the VNO comprised two types of epithelia: medial vomeronasal sensory (VSE) and lateral vomeronasal non-sensory epithelia (VNSE). Numerous blood vessels and nerve bundles were observed within the vomeronasal cartilage encased lamina propria. Immunohistochemistry revealed high expression level of protein gene product9.5 and moderate expression level of olfactory marker protein in the neuroreceptor cells of the VSE and occasionally in some ciliated cells of the VNSE in both neonates and adults. The properties of the glycoconjugates in the VNO were investigated using 21 lectins, most of which were expressed at varied intensities in the VSE and VNSE, as well as in the lamina propria. Several lectins exhibited variations in their intensities and localization between neonatal and adult VNOs. This study is the first descriptive lectin histochemical examination of the VNO of Korean native cattle with a focus on lectin histochemistry, confirming that the VNO of Korean native cattle is differentiated during postnatal development.

Exploring the vomeronasal organ in an endangered antelope species

“…The results obtained by us in gazelle dama are consistent with those observed in sheep (Ibrahim, 2018), cows (Jang et al, 2021), Asian roe deer (Park et al, 2014a) and Korean black goats (Park et al, 2013). PGP 9.5-positive cells show strong immunoreactivity in their soma, dendrites, and their axons which extend through the lamina.…”

“…His description of the rostral part as a cuboidal stratified epithelium of cells with lightly stained cytoplasm coincides what we have observed in the dama gazelle. Likewise, his description as well as that of other authors in cows (Taniguchi & Mikami, 1985;Salazar et al, 2008;Jang et al, 2021) regarding the organization the neuroepithelium in basal, neuroreceptor and sustentacular cells, and the organization of the respiratory epithelium coincides with that observed by us. This is as well comparable to that observed in other Bovinae such as goat (Park et al, 2013), sheep (Kratzing, 1971;Salazar et al, , 2000Salazar, Lombardero, Alemañ, et al, 2003;Salazar et al, 2007;Ibrahim et al, 2013;Ibrahim, 2018) and water buffalo (Emam et al, 2016), but also with the other ruminants studied, such as giraffe (Kondoh, Nakamura, et al, 2017), reindeer (Bertmar, 1981), elk (Vedin et al, 2010) and Korean roe deer (Park et al, 2014a), which shows that we are dealing with a widely conserved pattern in ruminant evolution.…”

“…These results show differences and similarities with the labelling obtained by these lectins in the VNO of other ruminant mammalian species. For this reason, our findings are related below to existing information on sheep (Ovis orientalis aries) (Salazar et al, 2000(Salazar et al, , 2007Ibrahim et al, 2013), cow (Bos taurus coreanae) (Jang et al, 2021), goat (Capra aegagrus hircus) (Park et al, 2013;Yang et al, 2021) and Asian roe deer (Capreolus pygargus) (Park et al, 2014b;Shin et al, 2017).…”

“…These findings were found in the VNO of cow and horse, which also showed PAS-positive glands . Subsequently, several authors obtained the same results by finding both types of VG in all the ruminants studied: cow (Salazar et al, 2008;Jang et al, 2021), sheep (Salazar et al, 2000(Salazar et al, , 2007, goat (Yang et al, 2021), silka deer (Kondoh et al, 2020), giraffe (Kondoh, Nakamura, et al, 2017), and goitered gazelle (Abood & Hussein, 2018). The degree of development of the glands and the intensity of the response to both stainings, PAS and AB, was similar for all species.…”

“…Anti-OMP stained cell bodies more intensely than dendrites in OMP-positive receptor cells. This feature was also found in sheep (Ibrahim, 2018), cow (Jang et al, 2021), and roe deer (Shin et al, 2017), however, goat showed the reverse pattern (Park et al, 2013;Yang et al, 2021). Anti-OMP immunolabelling in the RE shows variations between the different ruminants.…”