Comparison of the histology of the skin of the Windsnyer, Kolbroek and Large White pigs

Abstract

The skin is a protective barrier, and an endocrine, sensory and thermoregulatory organ. We investigated whether the skin of local pigs had beneficial anatomical traits compared to exotic pigs to withstand the increased heat loads predicted under future climate change scenarios. Full-thickness skin specimens were obtained from the dorsal interscapular, lateral thoraco-abdominal and ventral abdominal regions of intact boars (age 6–8 months) of two local breeds of pigs (Windsnyer [n = 5] and Kolbroek [n = 4]) and an exotic pig breed (Large White [n = 7]). The skin sections were stained with a one-step Mallory–Heidenhain stain and Fontana stain (melanin). Sweat gland perimeter was measured using Image J software. The Windsnyer breed had the thinnest dermis layer while the Large White had the thickest dermis layer across all the three body regions (analysis of variance [ANOVA]; p < 0.001). The Windsnyers had widely spaced dermal pegs compared to the other breeds. The Windsnyers had significantly more superficial and larger (~1 mm depth; 4.4 mm perimeter) sweat glands than the Kolbroek (~3 mm depth; 2.2 mm perimeter) and Large White (~4 mm depth; 2.0 mm perimeter) pigs (ANOVA; p < 0.001). The Windsnyers had visibly more melanin in the basal layer, the Kolbroek pigs had very little and the Large Whites had none. The functionality of the sweat glands of the Windsnyer breed needs to be established. The skin from the Windsnyer breed possesses traits that may confer a protective advantage for the increased solar radiation and ambient temperatures predicted with climate change.

The influence of animal species, gender and tissue on the structural, biophysical, biochemical and biological properties of collagen sponges

“…The fibres and fibre bundles cross each other and merge from one bundle to the next, with smaller fibres interweaving in between and in different orientations. This compact, higher-order network is also interwoven with elastic fibres [ 38 , 39 ]. Bovine skin, on the other hand, is thinner in comparison to the porcine skin.…”

Multispecies Evaluation of a Long-Acting Tenofovir Alafenamide Subdermal Implant for HIV Prophylaxis

“…While pigs have been used as a standard model in transdermal PK studies ( Stricker-Krongrad et al, 2016 ), a standard for subcutaneous drug testing has not been established. Pigs are not ideal for subcutaneous toxicity and PK studies because they have a thick subcutaneous fatty layer ( Moyo et al, 2018 ) that can complicate implant evaluation–such as palpability ( Kim et al, 2019 ) and visualization by ultrasound imaging ( McEvoy et al, 2007 )– and make drawing blood under restraint difficult. Additionally, they are uncooperative, and can grow from 25 to 100 kg within 8 weeks ( Rashid et al, 2004 ).…”

Histomorphometrical study on the skin of different regions of the Caribbean common opossum (Didelphis marsupialis Linnaeus, 1758)

“…Our results regarding the thickness of the epidermis and dermis in the different body regions show greater thickness in the head and back regions, while the abdomen was thinner. This fact is commonly observed in animals of the most different quadruped groups, such as dogs, horses, coats or pigs (Jørgensen et al., 2018; Moyo et al., 2018; Razvi et al., 2014; Schwarz et al., 1979). These findings are in contrast to that observed in rats, which had an abdomen with thicker skin and a head with thinner skin (Kazanci et al., 2017).…”

“…This characteristic was observed in innumerable species of mammals, as for example in the dog, rats or guinea pigs (Ferry, Argentieri, & Lochner, 1995;Kazanci, Kurus, & Atasever, 2017;Schwarz, Le Roux, Schaller, & Neurand, 1979;Thomas, 2005). However, it contrast with some species in which the skin is much thicker, such as in humans, goat, horses, cows or pigs (Ferry et al, 1995;Jørgensen, Lazzarini, Pirone, Jacobsen, & Miragliotta, 2018;Kobayashi et al, 1999;Moyo, Gomes, & Erlwanger, 2018;Razvi, Suri, & Sarma, 2014;Yabuki et al, 2007).…”