AAS ›› 2013, Vol. 44 ›› Issue (1 ): 79-84.doi: 10.3969/j.issn.0529-1356.2013.01.015

Previous Articles     Next Articles

Distribution and structural characteristics of the ventricular Purkinje fibers of yaks

LI Chao-xu,DUAN De-yong,CUI Yan*   

  1. Department of Basic Veterinary Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou 730070, China
  • Received:2012-03-07 Revised:2012-05-03 Online:2013-02-06 Published:2013-02-06

Abstract:

Objective To study the distribution and structural characteristics of the ventricular Purkinje fibers of 60 adult yaks, and to collect morphological data for the study of ventricular conduction system of plateau mammals. Methods The ink injection,ABS proplasm,HE staining,Masson ’s trichrome staining and immunohistochemical staining methods were used. Results The connective tissue sheath was found around the Purkinje fibres of the ventricle of yak. The left bundle branch of the yak heart had bi-fascicular or tri-fascicular structures in the subendocardial layer of the septum. The right bundle branch of the yak heart had tri-fascicular or quadric-fascicular structures in the myocardium at the root of the right anterior papillary muscle, by going through the moderator band.The Purkinje fibres that existed in the subendocardial layer presented a polygonal reticulate distribution, and extended out numerous branches to the myocardium. No Purkinje fiber was found on the top subendocardial layer of the papillary muscle. The configurations of the Purkinje fibers were scroll-shaped, honeycombed-shaped, funnel-shaped and ridge-shaped. Cx43 was found membrane positive in Purkinje fibres. Conclusion The ABS proplasm techonlogy can be used to study the distribution of Purkinje fibres. Left bundle branch and right bundle branch of yak heart are asymmetrically distributed, with the left bundle branch more developed.

Key words: Purkinje fibre, ABS proplasm, Ink injection, Immunohistochemistry, Yak