Ajeigbe, S., Muazu, T., Nzalak, J., Iliya, I. (2021). Morphometric and Stereological Studies of the Pons and Medulla Oblongata of the African Striped Ground Squirrel (Xerus erythropus). test, 14(2), 57-71. doi: 10.21608/jva.2021.197238
Sherif Olawale Ajeigbe; Tauheed Abubakar Muazu; James Oliver Nzalak; Ibrahim Abdullahi Iliya. "Morphometric and Stereological Studies of the Pons and Medulla Oblongata of the African Striped Ground Squirrel (Xerus erythropus)". test, 14, 2, 2021, 57-71. doi: 10.21608/jva.2021.197238
Ajeigbe, S., Muazu, T., Nzalak, J., Iliya, I. (2021). 'Morphometric and Stereological Studies of the Pons and Medulla Oblongata of the African Striped Ground Squirrel (Xerus erythropus)', test, 14(2), pp. 57-71. doi: 10.21608/jva.2021.197238
Ajeigbe, S., Muazu, T., Nzalak, J., Iliya, I. Morphometric and Stereological Studies of the Pons and Medulla Oblongata of the African Striped Ground Squirrel (Xerus erythropus). test, 2021; 14(2): 57-71. doi: 10.21608/jva.2021.197238

Morphometric and Stereological Studies of the Pons and Medulla Oblongata of the African Striped Ground Squirrel (Xerus erythropus)

Journal of Veterinary Anatomy
Article 5, Volume 14, Issue 2, October 2021, Pages 57-71    PDF (629.6 K)
Document Type: Original Article
DOI: 10.21608/jva.2021.197238
Authors
Sherif Olawale Ajeigbe1; Tauheed Abubakar Muazu2; James Oliver Nzalak2; Ibrahim Abdullahi Iliya2
1Department of Veterinary Anatomy Faculty of Veterinary Medicine Ahmadu Bello University Zaria Nigeria
2Department of Human Anatomy, Ahmadu Bello University Zaria, Kaduna State, Nigeria.
Abstract
The study was undertaken to investigate the structure and functional relationships of the pons and Medulla Oblongata of African Striped Ground Squirrel (Xerus erythropus). Twenty (20) adult African striped ground squirrels were used for this study (10 males and 10 females). The ground squirrels were obtained from the surrounding villages of Zaria Local Government, Kaduna state Nigeria. Each Squirrel was euthanized using ketamine hydrochloride at 80mg/kg bw followed by gentle perfusion with neutral formal saline. A pair of scissors, chisel and scalpel blade were used to gently extract the brain (craniotomy). The extracted brain was fixed in Bouin’s fluid for 24 hours and processed histologically. Morphometrically, the absolute brain weight was higher in male than female while the brain length was higher in female. The absolute weight of medulla oblongata was significantly higher in male than female (p < 0.05). Stereolog- ically, the neuronal volume of medulla oblongata was higher in female squirrel than in male while male squirrel has higher neuronal number of pons and medulla oblongata. In conclusion, the higher brain morphometry in male squirrels may be suggestive of a higher locomotive activity and a good climbing ability than the female counterpart.
Keywords
African stripped ground squirrel; Medulla Oblongata; Pons
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