COMPARATIVE ANATOMICAL AND HISTOLOGICAL STUDIES ON THE MEIBOMIAN (TARSAL) GLANDS IN RABBITS, CATS, GOATS, SHEEP AND CATTLE

Document Type : Research article

Authors

Abstract

The comparative anatomical study of the meibomian glands in rabbits, cats, goats, sheep and cattle reveals that these glands are arranged, in both eyelids, in a linear manner peripendicular on the axis of the palpebral fissure. Each gland has a single orifice appearing in the form of a light spot at the free border of the eyelid. The present study reveals that, the total number of the
meibomian glands in rabbits, cats, goats, sheep and cattle, is 64, 62, 52, 59 and 74 respectively. In all the studied animals except cats, the glands of the superior are more or less numerous and langer than those of the inferior eyelid. The histomorphological study reveals that these glands are modified sebaceous glands. The activity of the lobules is variable among the animals under investigation