Arterial and venous supply of the Harderian gland in hens.

Background: The Harderian gland in domestic birds is a major paraocular excretory gland that has an important role in tear production as well as in the immune protection of the conjunctiva surface.

Aim: The aim of this research was to investigate the arterial and venous supply of the gland in hens and provide valuable and useful information for future research.

Methods: The research was conducted on 26 adult hens, provenience of Lohmann Brown. For the identification and determination of blood vessels, we used the vascular corrosion cast technique in conjunction with the transmission electron microscope (TEM).

Results: The casts showed that the gland receives the arterial supply via branches of a. ophthalmotemporalis and a. nasalis communis and these arteries are accompanied by the corresponding veins. Ultrastructural analyses showed the presence of fenestrated capillaries, which indicates the possibility for permeability of larger molecules.

Conclusion: The present research gives important and detailed information about the arterial and venous supply of the Harderian gland in hens that may serve as guidelines for future vascular and morphological investigations.