Acessory gland and primary duct of the Bothrops jararaca snake during the venom production cycle: a morphological study.

Author(s)

Fernanda Sakai

• Document type: Master's Dissertation
• Press: São Paulo.
• Institution: Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas (ICB/SDI)
• Defense date: 2011-11-01

Examining board members

Norma Yamanouye; Patricia Gama; Ana Maria Moura da Silva

• Advisor: Norma Yamanouye

Abstract

The accessory gland (AG) and the primary duct (PD) are components of the venom gland apparatus of Bothrops jararaca snake. There are few studies about AG and PD and there is still controversy on whether the secretions released by these regions can modify the total venom. Our results show that AG presents simple secretory epithelium with mucous secretory cells, seromucous cells, mitochondria-rich cells without secretion, horizontal cells, basal cells and dark cells. The PD duct presents pseudo-stratified epithelium with secretory columnar cells with different electrodensity vesicles, mitochondria-rich cells, dark cells, basal cells and horizontal cells. We also observed that the AG and the PD have a long cycle of synthesis and secretion as the main venom gland. Furthermore, we show for the first time that the secretion of AG does not participate in the formation of the whole venom and suggest that the secretion released by PD could contribute to the total venom and this secretion could be the subject of controversy in the literature. (AU)