Histological Aspects of Brunner’s Glands in Chinchillas (Chinchilla lanigera)

Abstract

Since their discovery, Brunner’s glands have been an attractive subject of research. The study aimed to investigate the structure, the topography, and the degree of development of the Brunner’s glands in chinchillas through light microscopy. Transversal fragments from the duodenum of 5 chinchilla males were histologically processed by classical paraffin technique. Brunner glands are much more developed and proportionally, they occupy at least three times more space than the Lieberkuhn glands. In many places, Brunner glands are clustered, suggesting that more than one such gland spills its secretion product through a common Lieberkuhn gland in the space between villi. We can affirm that Brunner glands, after their disposition, appearance and absence of distinct muscularis mucosae, are disposed into the thickness of the mucosa and submucosa in chinchilla (together with the Lieberkuhn glands) and not strictly in the submucosa as in other mammals.