Anatomy of the Liver of Mizoram Local Pig (Zovawk)

Background: The present study was aimed for the promotion and advancement of the anatomical knowledge at the gross, light microscopic and electron microscopic level in Zovawk (mizo local pig). Methods: The current investigation was done at the Instructional livestock farm, Department of Veterinary Anatomy and Histology, College of Veterinary Sciences and Animal Husbandry, Central Agricultural University, Selesih, Aizawl, Mizoram and Sophisticated Analytical Instrument Facility (SAIF), North Eastern Hill University (NEHU), Shillong, Meghalaya. Six liver samples were collected from six apparently healthy Zovawk animal of either sex and gross morphological observations were done directly after collection. Thereafter tissue samples were collected as such and were preserved in neutral buffer formalin (NBF) and in Karnovsky’s fixative for routine histology and transmission electron microscopic examination, respectively.Result: Zovawk liver shows four distinct borders, i.e. medial, lateral, dorsal and ventral border, two surfaces, i.e. parietal surface or diaphragmatic surface and caudal or visceral surface and six distinct lobes. The average weight of Zovawk liver was 1.402 kg. Weight of the liver was highly correlated with body weight of animal. Histologically, Zovawk liver was characterized with thick Glisson’s capsule and thick connective tissue septa emerging from it, which gives the hepatic lobules its hexagonal shape. Sinusoids of adjacent hepatocytes were lined by stellate shaped Kupffer cells. The ultra-structural examination of liver shows that, the hepatocytes were rich in mitochondria, endoplasmic reticulum and glycogen granules. Free ribosome and well developed rER and dense lysosomal granules were common in those hepatocyte.