Histological Characterization of Brachial Gland in Slow Loris (Nycticebus coucang)

Abstract

　Histological characterization of brachial gland in slow loris (Nycticebus coucang) is described. Histologically, and ultrastructurally, the brachial gland was similar to apocrine gland. It consists of excretory ducts which open to hair follicle and three distinct terminal portions. Immunohistochemically, the terminal portion was classified into two types. One terminal portion showed the positive to the apocrine-gland marker, but glandular-epithelium marker and eccrine gland marker were negative. Another showed the positive to all the markers. It is concluded that brachial gland in slow loris consists of three distinct terminal portions which has morphological characteristics of apocrine gland. However, these terminal portions were suggested that it were classified into apocrine gland, and the gland which has an immunohistochemical feature of both apocrine and eccrine gland.