Gross and Histological Studies of the Nasal Turbinates in Yankasa Sheep ‎‎(Ovis aries) in Maiduguri, Nigeria

The present study was aimed at describing the anatomy of the nasal turbinates in adult Yankasa sheep using sectional anatomical planes and light microscopy. A total of 5 heads were used. The gross observations of the nasal turbinates were presented in midsagittal and serialized transverse sections. The nasal cavity comprised of dorsal, middle and ventral nasal turbinates. These turbinates were delineated by dorsal, middle, common and ventral nasal meatuses and presented distinct morphological details at different levels of the sectional planes. Microscopically, the mucosal lining of the nasal turbinates was divided into stratified squamous keratinized epithelium in the vestibular portion, pseudostratified columnar epithelium in the respiratory portion and olfactory pseudostratified columnar epithelium in the olfactory portion of the nasal cavity. The propria submucosa consisted of loose irregular connective tissue, having connective tissue cells, fibers, cavernous veins and cartilages. whereas the deeper part presented mixed glandular tissue of simple acinar and coiled tubular glands. The study provided basic information on gross and microscopic anatomy of the nasal turbinates in Yankasa sheep, which could serve as reference for clinical interpretation of diagnostic images of the head region of the Yankasa sheep, and for comparative anatomical studies.