The existence of telocytes (TCs) has not yet been established in the pancreases of aquatic reptiles. Here, we report TCs in the exocrine pancreas of Pelodiscus sinensis using transmission electron microscope (TEM), immunohistochemistry (IHC), and immunofluorescence (IF) techniques. TCs surrounded the acini and ducts of the connective tissue of the exocrine pancreas and between lobules and gland cells. The cells were located preferably close to the blood vessels, interlobular ducts, and nerve fibers. Ultrastructurally, TCs exhibited small and large bodies with thick and thin portions, podoms, and podomers, and prolongations that form dichotomous branching with hetero-cellular and homo-cellular junctions. The podom (thick) portions showed caveolae, mitochondria, rough endoplasmic reticulum, and vesicles. The nucleus carries heterochromatin and is irregular in shape. The shape of TCs depends on the number of telopodes (Tps) bearing long, short, spindle, triangular, and “beads on a string” shapes with twisted, tortuous prolongations and ramifications. Shed extracellular vesicles and exosomes were found frequently released from projections and Tps within connective tissue in the vicinity of the acini and collagen fibers. IHC and IF results showed CD34+, α-SMA+, and vimentin⁺, long and triangle-shaped TCs, consistent with the TEM findings. The presence of shaded vesicles from TCs might implicate their possible role in immune surveillance, tissue regeneration as well as regulatory functions in the reptilian pancreas.

The dromedary camel is a milk producing animal well adopted to hot and dry environments and an appreciable source of food in rural households in Pakistan. Its potential as a dairy animal has not been thoroughly evaluated. In this study two different aspects of the camels of Larri breed, selected from different parts of Sindh Pakistan are evaluated. First morphometry of Larri camel and second, its productive performance. In the former, data were collected on biometry of camels along with questionnaire survey. Whereas, the later was accomplished by collecting the milk sample and analysing their composition. Biometrical values demonstrated this breed is a larger in its body with a capacious udder size. The milk yield in a lactation ranged from 4850-8756 L with an average of 7335.30±1170.03 L/lactation. The milk was rich in fat and protein contents. The study demonstrates the dairy potential of Larri dromedary camels in traditional management. Udder gross anatomy and histology after H & E staining revealed some patterns of differences in different parities/lactations. However, these differences were statistically non-significant. This study will be helpful to predict milk yield and its composition linked to body and udder conformation to make camel rearing an economical enterprise.