Vol. 9, Special Issue 4, Part A (2024)

Author(s): S Ranjith Kumar, Y Nagamalleswari and D Pramod Kumar

Abstract: Blood air barrier in adult non-descript Indian Goat was studied by transmission electron microscopy. It comprised of alveolar epithelial layer, basement membrane and capillary endothelial layer. Alveolar epithelal cell layer consisted of Type I and Type II pneumocytes. Type I pneumocytes were squamous with flattened, irregular nucleus and had scanty cytoplasm which showed absence of cellular organelles. Type II pneumocytes were cuboidal with oval nucleus and were characterized by presence lamellar bodies and numerous mitochondria. The basement membrane was seen in between the endothelial lining and alveolar cell layer. Endothelial cells of the capillares were attenuated and consisted of irregulary oval nucleus with heterocromatin resting on the basement membrane.