Developmental trend of the neurovertebral growth changes in the spine of the male and female goat fetuses (Capra hircus)

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 PhD Graduated in Comparative Veterinary Anatomy and Embryology, Department of Basic Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz, Ahvaz, Iran

2 Associate Professor of Department of Basic Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz, Ahvaz, Iran

Abstract

. Total and regional length of spinal cord and vertebral column were studied in 36 goat fetuses, collected from the Ahvaz slaughterhouse. These specimens were assigned into 3 groups, group1 (CRL,10-20 cm), group2 (20-30 cm) and group3 (30-40 cm). Each group consisted of 12 fetuses (6 male and 6 female). Observations in all 3 groups revealed that in the spinal cord the longest region was belong to the thoracic region, followed by cervical, lumbar, sacral and coccygeal, while in vertebral column the length of sacral region was shorter than that of coccygeal. Statistically, there were no significant differences in either spinal cord and vertebral column regions according to the sex of fetuses, while there were significant differences (P<0.001) between all regions in either spinal cord and vertebral column of all 3 groups. Normal vertebral formula in the male and female goat fetuses was C7T12-13L6-7S5Co10-12 Except in cervical region, the number of vertebrae in other regions were in agree and disagree with the records appeared in certain anatomical books.

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