IngentaConnect The Corpus fibule in Sheep (Ovis ammon f. aries) its Ontogeny and...

Abstract:

The corpus fibulae (CF) in sheep is represented by a cartilaginous anlage during early embryogenesis, which may calcify and ossify with ongoing gestation and finally towards term is supposed to be replaced by a connective tissue cord called ligamentum fibulare (LF). A recent study in goat (Boos A and T Bartels, 2002), however, revealed that 58 % of the animals examined exhibited a pin-shaped bone within the LF. This indicates that a complete transformation of the anlage of the CF to a connective tissue cord is not performed in all goats raising the question of existing parallels in sheep. Forty-two fetuses and lower legs of 18 lambs and 100 sheep being elder than 2 years were collected at the slaughterhouse. Radiographs and macerated or enzymatically cleared and stained lower legs were assessed for the expression of a CF. In 28 of 42 fetuses (66%), 11 of 18 lambs (61%) and 48 of 100 adult sheep (48%) at least one cartilaginous – only fetal period – or osseous CF could be detected. Differences between groups were significant (Chi-square test, P < 0.05). In 2, 3 and 15 animals, respectively, only a unilateral expression was evident. In early fetuses, the fibula either consisted of a long anlage having the length of the tibia or of a long proximal and a short distal part paralleling the tibia. In somewhat larger fetuses the CF was composed only of the proximal part or even completely lacked (crown rump length 7.5 ± 1.5 vs. 11.2 ± 2.4 and 12.2 ± 2.0 cm, respectively). Pre-term fetuses, lambs and adult sheep were devoid of a CF (n = 5/7, 7/11 and 52/100, respectively) or exhibited a pin-shaped bone of varying length within the LF. This osseous CF was either in close contact to the caput fibulae (n = 6 animals) – always separated by connective tissue – or located more distally. In the latter cases the centre of the osseous pin was usually situated at a level between the proximal and intermediate thirds of the tibia. Results suggest that the corpus fibulae in sheep may persist in many individuals (50%) as a pin-shaped bone throughout life. Reference

Boos, A., and T. Bartels, 2002: Ann. Anat. 184, 289–293

Document Type: Research article

DOI: 10.1111/j.1439-0264.2005.00669_13.x

Affiliations: 1: Department of Veterinary Anatomy, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 260, CH-8057 Zurich, Switzerland 2: Clinic for Birds and Reptiles, Department of Small Animal Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Leipzig, An den Tierkliniken 17, D-04103 Leipzig, Germany

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The Corpus fibule in Sheep (Ovis ammon f. aries) – its Ontogeny and Reduction or Persistence from Fetal Age to Adulthood