Slape R L, Milic N L
College of Health and Human Sciences, Charles Darwin University, Darwin, Northern Territory 0909, Australia.
College of Health and Human Sciences, Charles Darwin University, Darwin, Northern Territory 0909, Australia.
Acta Histochem. 2022 Aug;124(6):151914. doi: 10.1016/j.acthis.2022.151914. Epub 2022 Jun 8.
This descriptive study examined the variation in ventral Crocodylus porosus (saltwater crocodile) belly skin. The study is the first to determine both intra and inter variation of C. porosus skin, epidermis and dermis thickness across the ventral belly region. Standardised ventral scales from across the belly region of a Hatchling (< 12months), Yearling (1-2 years) and Grow Out (>2 years) animals were examined using histological measurements for the stratum (s.) corneum, a combined measure for the remainder of the epidermis; the s. granulosum, s. spinosum and s. basale, and the dermis. This study determined that there was a thinning across all layers of the belly skin, from the head to the cloaca, and a decrease in thickness scales in lateral scales compared to midline scales. Variation within a scale was found predominately in the s. corneum and can be related to the change in keratin type from beta- to alpha- in the hinge (inter-scalar) region and the integumentary sensory organs. Future studies should utilise a larger sample size and consider less invasive imaging techniques.
这项描述性研究考察了湾鳄腹部皮肤的差异。该研究首次确定了湾鳄皮肤、表皮和真皮厚度在腹部区域的内部和个体间差异。对孵化期（<12个月）、一岁期（1 - 2岁）和成年期（>2岁）动物腹部区域的标准化腹侧鳞片进行了组织学测量，测量了角质层、表皮其余部分的综合指标、颗粒层、棘层、基底层以及真皮。本研究确定，从头部到泄殖腔，腹部皮肤各层均有变薄现象，且与中线鳞片相比，侧部鳞片的厚度有所减小。在鳞片内发现的差异主要存在于角质层，这可能与铰链（鳞片间）区域角蛋白类型从β型向α型的变化以及皮肤感觉器官有关。未来的研究应采用更大的样本量，并考虑使用侵入性较小的成像技术。
