3.1.2 Viscera preservation
Our understanding of the long-term survival of viscera (i.e. lungs, heart, liver, blood vessels, kidneys and reproductive system) in bog bodies has increased in recent years.
The liver and kidney, the two organs in which the greater part of the volume consists of epithelial cells, are commonly reduced in size, deformed by the pressure of the peat bog layers or unrecognisable, whereas the lungs and intestinal wall (but not its lining epithelium) are usually the best preserved and most recognisable viscera (Aufderheide 2003, 175-176).
In our specific case we were able to confirm the results of the initial macroscopic identification. The paraffin sections of the kidney provided a perfect survey of the kidney tissue, including major characteristic regions such as the cortex and the renal pelvis (fig. 4A). Tubule-like structures were identified in the renal corpuscle (fig. 4B).
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Figure 4 Paraffin section of the kidney. (a) Survey of the kidney comprising three grouped pictures. The kidney capsule (★) and the renal pelvis (▲) are highlighted. Gram stain, bar = 100µm. (b) Detailed view of the kidney cortex with tubular profiles. Gram stain, bar = 10µm. |
The liver material appeared to be less well preserved than the kidney sample. Nevertheless, liver parenchyma with polygonal-shaped hepatocytes and connective tissue could still be clearly distinguished in the paraffin sections (fig. 5A).
A relatively large number of eggs of the lancet liver fluke Dicrocoelium dendriticum was observed in the liver paraffin sections (B). Parasitological findings showing a case of true dicrocoeliasis in a bog body are reported elsewhere (Searcey et al. forthcoming).
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Figure 5 Paraffin section of the liver. (a) Liver parenchyma with polygonal-shaped hepatocytes (brownish) and connective tissue (purple). H&E stain, bar = 20µm. (b) Egg of Dicrocoelium
dendriticum embedded in the liver parenchyma. Gram stain, bar = 20µm. |