Histochemistry of the lung of the Australian snake-necked tortoise chelodina longicollis

✍ Scribed by R. V. Smith; D. G. Satchell

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 1987
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 1017 KB
• Volume: 192
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0362-2525
• DOI: 10.1002/jmor.1051920308

✦ Synopsis

The innervation and structure of the lung of the Australian snake-necked tortoise, Chelodina longicollis, was examined by using light microscopy including fluorescence histochemical techniques. The anterior lung was divided into a number of compartments with numerous alveolar spaces. The posterior lung was simpler and saclike in structure and alveolar spaces were absent. Smooth muscle fibers occurred in discrete muscle bands and in the walls of the septal bands. Ganglion cells occurred along nerve trunks throughout the lung but were more numerous in the posterior lung. Smooth muscle bands, the extrinsic pulmonary artery, and the arteries within the lung were sparsely innervated by adrenergic fibers. Substance P-containing sensory fibers were not demonstrated. The innervation and structure of the lung are compared to published work on other reptiles.