Micromorphological study of the blood vessels of the teat of buffaloes in Egypt (Bos bubalis L.).

The intermediate layer of the teat wall of the buffalo is a vessel zone. In the virgin teat of buffalo-calf and heifer the arteries supplying it were of the muscular type and were straight in their course. Some of these arteries showed thickened-wall. In the pregnant teats the number of vascular elements were more marked and greatly increased. The arteries supplying the lactating teats were extremely thickened and tortuous in their course. This seems to be due to an increase in the amount of fibromuscular tissue around these vessels. Certain structural features were observed in the arteries of the lactating teats. The relation of the teat vasculature and 'let-down" of milk was discussed.