Table 1.
Thickness of epidermal layers and dermal collagen bundles (μm; mean ± SD).
Fig 1.
Comparison of epidermal layers of white rhinoceros integument.
Sections are from the (A) cheek, (B) shoulder, (C) flank, and (D) rump. Arrows point to dermal papillae, extension of the papillary layer of the dermis into the epidermis [7]. Verhoeff-Von Gieson elastic stain. Scale bar is 100 μm.
Fig 2.
Malpighian layer of the epidermis and papillary layer of the dermis.
Strata basale and spinosum of the epidermis (i.e., Malpighian layer) at higher magnification exhibit regions with high concentrations of melanin granules, also known as mature melanosomes (brown intracellular material in the region of the asterisk) [7]. Clear cells in the epidermis are also visible that have morphology consistent with that of Langerhans’ cells (arrowheads) [9]. The papillary layer of the dermis demonstrates dark-staining elastic fibers (arrows). The inset shows a blowup of the stratum spinosum with regions of densely packed keratinocyte desmosomal intercellular junctions (narrow arrows indicating numerous parallel, dark-staining lines between cells). Verhoeff-Von Gieson elastic stain. Scale bar is 50 μm.
Fig 3.
Comparison of collagen fiber arrangement in the reticular (deep) dermis layer of white rhinoceros integument.
Sections are from the (A) cheek, (B) shoulder, (C) flank, and (D) rump. All three regions demonstrated interwoven collagen fibers with only a few scattered elastic fibers. Verhoeff-Von Gieson elastic stain. Scale bar is 400 μm.
Fig 4.
Apocrine gland in the dermis of the white rhinoceros.
This type of gland was found in all of the body regions sampled. Verhoeff-Von Gieson elastic stain. Scale bar is 100 μm on left, 50 μm on right.