Histomorphological structure of the palate and histochemical profiles of the salivary palatine glands in the Chukar partridge (Alectoris chukar,Gray 1830)

Morphology of the palatine mucosa and its secretion was described in Chukar partridges, by gross morphology and histochemistry techniques. For this purpose, 10 healthy adults (five male and five female) were sacrificed. After sacrifice, the palatine tissues were extirpated and fixed in 10% formol‐alcohol for 18 h and were embedded longitudinally and transversally in paraffin. The 5‐μm sections were employed histological and histochemical staining techniques. The lateral rims of the caudal part of the choanal cleft were bordered by large conical papillae. In the periphery of the choanal and the infundibular cleft, small papillae were scattered across the palatine mucosa. The palate was lined by keratinized stratified squamous epithelium, which contained conical papillae of varying height. However, the folds of the keratinized stratified squamous epithelial layer covering the choanal and infundibular cleft were nonkeratinized. The rostral aspect of the choanal cleft contained simple branched tubulo‐alveolar glands of both mucous and sero‐mucous characteristic, whilst the caudal aspect included mucous simple branched tubular glands. Furthermore, it was ascertained that the secretion of the palatine glands contained glycoproteins, carboxylated proteoglycans, weakly and strongly sulphated mucins, sialic acid and hyaluronic acid, but lacked glycogen. In conclusion, it was demonstrated that the histological structure of the mucosal epithelium and the supporting elements displayed similarity to those of other domestic avian species.