Rooster Comb Cross Section Under the Microscope
Rooster Comb (Cross Section), Gallus gallus domesticus
This is a cross section of a rooster comb stained with H&E. The comb is a fleshy part of the skin with many blood vessels, which is what makes it red.
This is a cross section of a rooster comb (Gallus gallus domesticus), stained with H&E. A thin layer of stacked skin cells, the epidermis, covers the outside. Just under it, the dermis is packed with tiny blood vessels filled with red blood cells, and this blood showing through the thin skin is what makes the comb red. The pale, loose center is a jelly-like connective tissue, crossed by a band of denser tissue with larger vessels. The comb helps the bird shed heat and signals its health to other chickens.
What to look for
- Epidermis: A thin outer layer of stacked cells covering the comb.
- Dermis: Pink connective tissue under the epidermis.
- Blood vessels: Many small vessels and capillaries in the dermis, some filled with red blood cells.
- Central core: A pale, loose, jelly-like layer in the middle of the comb.
Questions and answers
Why is a rooster comb red?
A rooster comb has a dense network of blood vessels close to the surface, and the blood shows through the thin skin. The color is part of how roosters signal health to other chickens.
What is a rooster comb made of?
A rooster comb is skin with a thin outer layer, a dermis packed with blood vessels, and a jelly-like core. That core is rich in a substance called hyaluronic acid.
- Category
- Histology and Tissue
- Scan magnification
- 20x
- Stain
- H&E
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