Development of Connective Tissue Fibres in Pancreas of Prenatal Stages of Goat (Capra hircus)

The present study was conducted on the 24 goat foeti of either sex ranging from 42 days to full term of gestation. The material was divided into early prenatal (0 to 50 days), mid prenatal (51 to 100 days) and late prenatal (101 to till term) periods. In all goat foetuses the pancreas lied in the abdominal cavity partly on right and partly on left side of median plane. Tissue processing was done with routine histological technique. Up to 59 days gestation the reticular fibers, collagen fibers and elastic fibers were absent in foetal goat pancreas. Fine reticular fibers along with fibroblasts were first observed at 69 days of gestation. From 76 days onwards reticular fibers and fibroblast were more pronounced in capsule, interlobar and interlobular areas. Moreover, these encircled the tubules, buds, acini, islets and blood vessels. Beyond this the reticular fibres gradually became coarser with the increase in age of foetus. Fine collagen fibres having a little bluish tinge were seen around vicinity of blood vessels at 115 days and distinct fine collagen fibres were observed at 118 days of gestation. No elastic fibres were observed at any stages of prenatal goat.