title: Pododermal angioarchitecture of the bovine claw in relation to form and function of the papillary body: a scanning electron microscopic study.
abstract: The region-specific angioarchitecture of the bovine pododerma was examined using systematic scanning electron microscopy of micro-corrosion casts of juvenile and adult bovine claws. Particular emphasis was laid on the demonstration of specialised vascular structures such as arteriovenous anastomoses. Comparing the results of main and dew claws, respectively, of juvenile and adult claws, a relation between burdening of the claw and density and differentiation of the pododermal papillary and lamellar blood vessels was detected. The results suggest a possible influence of body weight (or age) and weight-bearing on the formation and vascularisation of the pododermal papillary body. The lamellar and papillary microvascularisation and microcirculation are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Anatomy, Freie Universität Berlin, D-14195 Berlin, Germany. hirschbg@zedat.fu-berlin.de
authors.forename: R M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Hirschberg
authors.forename: C K
authors.initials: CK
authors.lastname: Mülling
authors.forename: K D
authors.initials: KD
authors.lastname: Budras
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001808:Blood Vessels / Q000502:physiology / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D002417:Cattle / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D006724:Hoof and Claw / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000502:physiology; D008833:Microcirculation; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning / Q000379:methods*