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MINI-REVIEW Role of in Tear Production in Different Animal Species: A Review

R. Menaka b and Gopal Puri*a aAssociate Professor, Deptt. Of Veterinary Physiology and Biochemistry, bAssistant Professor, Deptt. of Veterinary Anatomy, Vanbandhu College of Veterinary Sciences and Animal Husbandry, Navsari Agricultural University, Navsari- 396 450, India.

Abstract *Corresponding Author: The lacrimal gland is a serous acini lobulated gland which have comprised of cuboidal epithelium. The secretary variations are observed in different domestic Gopal Puri animals. In swine, the secretion is mucous in nature. The cells are showing mucin reaction in sheep, goat and dog. Lacrimation is one of the physiological events that Email: [email protected] protects the ball and further prevents the pathogenic infection. There are small accessory glands which found in the third and it further contributes Received: 18/06/2015 approximately 50 % composition of the tear film. The pre-corneal surface protected Revised: 27/06/2015 by mucus coating which is secreted by the goblet cells of conjunctival membrane.

Accepted: 28/06/2015 Key words: Lacrimal, Mucin, Tear film, Precorneal, Conjunctival, Acini.

1. Introduction dogs. The lacrimal gland can be involved in immune- The eye is a complex and highly developed mediated, toxic, infectious, or cancerous processes organ which collects light from the surrounding (Slatter, 1973; Hirayama et al., 2000 and Vinayak et environment. It regulates its intensity through a al., 2004). The normal volume of tear fluid is about 5– diaphragm, focuses it through an adjustable to 10µl per day. form an image on where this image is converted into a set of electrical signals and transmitted to the 2. Lacrimation brain. The are protected in the skull by a bony box Animals do not tear up or cry for emotional called the eye socket (). The wall of this eyeball reasons as humans do. Secretion of serves to clean consists of three layers which have different tasks in and lubricate the eye in response to an irritation of the the anterior and posterior halves of the organ (Konig eyes. Tearing can be an indicator of irritation, and Liebich, 2007). One of the accessory structures of inflammation, injury or infection to the eye. Possible the eye is the which located causes of lacrimation in pets are limited to allergy, superiorly and laterally to each eyeball. Each lacrimal physical or chemical irritant, misplaced , apparatus consists of the lacrimal gland, canalicule, growth, and chemical spill, wound or direct and naso lacrimal duct. The lacrimal gland injury, , blocked tear ducts, some systemic is responsible for production and secretion of tears diseases or toxin ingestion. which clean and nourish the and help to Tear or lacrimation is considered to have a maintain corneal health. The lacrimal apparatus are unique structure with functions of nourishing, responsible for the production, dispersal and disposal lubricating and protecting the ocular surface, of the tears. containing lipid, protein, and mucous components The lacrimal fluid keeps the anterior surface of (Tiffany, 2008; Ohashi et al., 2006). Proteins in the tear the eyes moist and clean. In addition to salts (NaCl- are play an important role in protecting the ocular 1%), it contains small amount of protein. The lacrimal surface from the pathogens, maintaining the integrity secretion also consists of bactericidal enzyme known as and stability of the tear and modulating the ocular lysozyme which may be considered part of the defense wound healing process (Zhou et al., 2007). The against infection. The pre-corneal tear film protects the comprehensive and comparative analysis of tear eyes by washing away foreign material. It is essential proteins can be helpful in the studies of patho- in maintain the transparency of the cornea. Insufficient physiological mechanisms and diagnosis of ocular tear production results in opacification. The surface diseases. The healthy ocular surface is sicca (KCS) is a chronic associated with normal tear production and the stability inflammatory disease due to quantitative or qualitative of the tear film, which are found to be affected by abnormalities of the tear film, frequently reported in several endogenous and exogenous factors, such as

Livestock Research International | April-June, 2015 | Vol 3 | Issue 2 | Pages 40-42 © 2015 Jakraya Publications (P) Ltd Menaka and Puri…Role of Lacrimal Gland in Tear Production in Different Animal Species: A Review age, gender, the time of day, and environmental evaporation of the aqueous layer. The innermost layer conditions (Piccione et al ., 2008). is produced by the goblet cells of the conjunctival Studies on humans and animals have reported epithelium and assists in adherence of the pre-corneal the daily variations of tear production. The potential film to the corneal surface (Dartt, 2004). Prabha (2014) influence of season has also been evaluated in tear reported that the tears are useful because they have production of normal horses by Schirmer tear test. important proteins, immunoglobulins including its role However, no statistically different Schirmer tear test in defense of the eye. Tears also have antimicrobial values were found in winter compared to the respective activity due to lactoferrin present in it. Tears wash values in summer (Beech et al ., 2003). away the unwanted substances present in the eye. helps in expressing our emotions and also to 3. Composition of Tear Film overcome sorrow. Tear film helps to maintain visual The lacrimal gland (LG) is an epithelial gland acuity and contains major proteins. that is responsible for approximately 60% of the production of the aqueous component of the pre- 4. Different Species corneal tear film with the remaining 40% contributed There are adequate researches documenting the by the accessory lacrimal gland of the third eyelid anatomy and histology of lacrimal glands in human and (Junquira and Carneiro, 2003). The major secretary some other mammals. In all investigated species, the sources of protein are to optimize the optics of the lacrimal gland has presented more or less a similar cornea, to lubricate and to protect the eye from the histological structure and is a mixed gland consisting of pathogens. Tear film is made up of tri-laminar structure tubulo-acinar units (Gargiulo et al ., 1999). In most 7µ thickness which consists of lipid, aqueous and species, the maximum amount of tears is secreted from mucin (Mohamadpour, 2008). The lacrimal film is the dorsal lacrimal gland (Carrington et al ., 1987; composed by three layers, differing in composition: Nguyen et al ., 2006). The examination of lacrimal • An outer superficial layer consisting of lipids, glands of human beings, dogs, cats, horses, pigs, produced by the meibomian glands; rabbits, sheep, goat and guinea pigs has been described • An intermediate one, composed of aqueous (Sinha and Calhoun, 1966; Allen et al ., 1972; components, produced by the lacrimal and Krochmalska, 1976; Gillette et al ., 1980; Martin et third eyelids superficial glands; and al. ,1988 and Gargiulo et al ., 2000). In many species, • An inner layer, consisting of mucin produced the main fraction of tears is produced by lacrimal by goblet cells. glands. In cattle and wild buffalo, no difference is The outer superficial oily layer provides observed between left and right glands. Moreover, in lubrication and prevents overflows of tear from the eye these animals no sexual dimorphism is evident in the lid margin. It retards evaporation of the underlying case of the lacrimal gland (Pinard et al., 2003). aqueous layer. This lipid layer acts as a lubricant The lacrimal puncta were absent in the anatomy allowing for the smooth movement of the eyelids over of the dromedary lacrimal apparatus. The absence the . The lipid components also lower the surface lacrimal puncta in some mammals does not entirely tension of the tear film, which may promotes the deprive the nasal mucosa of the moistening effect of integrity of the aqueous portion. The aqueous layer is the lacrimal fluid. But in the camel that moistening the major component of tear film. It is formed by effect is excluded by the absence of the puncta. The electrolytes, water, and proteins. These components are absence of the puncta causes excess lacrimal fluid to principally secreted by the lacrimal gland composed of escape by flowing over the lower eyelid. This probably acini lobules. The lumen of each acinus is lined by explains the popular myth that the camel is so columnar epithelial cells. These cells are surrounded by emotional that it sometimes popularly referred as a basal layer of myo-epithelial cells enclosed by a “sheds tears” (Abdalla et al ., 1970 ; Saber and Makady, basement membrane. The fluid produced by the 1987). The main function of the lacrimal fluid in the lacrimal gland through intra-lobular and interlobular camel is confined to the washing and moistening of the ducts drain into the conjunctival space beneath the anterior part of the eyeball. This is an important upper eyelid. As a result of eyelid movements, the tears function to an animal like the camel which inhabits dry, fluid flows over the cornea and produce a thin layer of hot and sandy land with numerous sand storms. the fluid on the cornea. It nourishes and moistens the Probably, the Lacrimation stimulated by the cornea further. During the periods between blinks, a mechanism of the gustatory-lacrimal reflex between the slow and continuous evaporation takes place from the gustatory nuclei and the salivary nuclei (including the corneal surface but the thin layer of lipid produced by lacrimal nuclei) in the brain stem. Lacrimation can also tarsal (Meibomian) gland to some extent prevents be a part of the complicated synkineses of yawning, coughing, and vomiting.

Livestock Research International | April-June, 2015 | Vol 3 | Issue 2 | Pages 40-42 © 2015 Jakraya Publications (P) Ltd 41 Menaka and Puri…Role of Lacrimal Gland in Tear Production in Different Animal Species: A Review

5. Conclusion pig, rabbits and human beings. Some breeds of dog The lacrimal glands and its secretary are more prone to develop kerato- function in various species is an insight to applied sicca with being females are more affected than research models to overcome the different clinical males. The lacrimation is physiological event that affections of eyeball at large. In camel, the flow of to protect the normal pre-corneal surface as well as the lacrimal secretion does not carried by naso- it possess bactericidal properties. The modern lacrimal duct as in horse. The gender related therapy as in art of living that encourages the differences exists in lacrimal gland of rats, guinea crying positively and it brings an emotional burst out and mental well being as in human life.

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