Journal of Scientific Research and Reports

The study was undertaken to describe the gross and histomorphological features of the placenta in a full-term pregnant non-descript goat from Namakkal, Tamil Nadu, and to provide baseline information for comparative placentation studies. The gravid uterus was collected at post-mortem examination after gross pathology had been ruled out. The pregnant uterine horn was incised and examined grossly, and placentomes from different endometrial locations were processed for routine haematoxylin and eosin staining. Gross examination revealed numerous placentomes, supporting classification of the caprine placenta as cotyledonary. The uterine mucosa showed numerous concave caruncles, while the chorioallantoic membrane contained multiple dome-shaped cotyledons. Placentomes were formed by apposition of the maternal caruncles and foetal cotyledons. Cotyledons near the umbilical cord were larger than those at the periphery of the chorioallantoic membrane, and their blood vessels converged towards the umbilical cord. Histologically, the placentomes consisted of chorionic villi interdigitating with maternal caruncular crypts. The maternal crypts contained numerous capillaries and venules, while the chorionic villi were lined by mononucleate and binucleate trophoblast cells and contained vascular mesenchymal connective tissue. These observations indicate that the placenta of the examined non-descript goat was cotyledonary and epitheliochorial in nature and provide a regional morphological baseline for future comparative studies among caprine breeds.