PMC

Superficial veins of the distal hindlimb of an African elephant, medial view.

Meissner corpuscle in dermal papilla (arrow). Staining Mayer's haematoxylin/eosin. Scale bar = 200 µm.

Vater–Pacinian corpuscles (VP) embedded within collagenous tissue in the foot cushion. Staining Mayer's haematoxylin/eosin. Scale bar = 500 µm.

Transverse section through the metatarsal compartment of the foot cushion and the surrounding skin in an African elephant. Arrows: main fibrous sheet.

CT image of the hindlimb of an African elephant, horizontal section. DC, digital compartments; MC, metatarsal compartment; SAF, strips of adipose and fibrous tissue outside the metatarsal compartment of the foot cushion.

Transverse section of the distal part of the left forelimb of an African elephant (position shown in ), caudal view. Stippled: metacarpal compartment of the foot cushion. PP, prepollex.

Tissue components of the digital compartments of the foot cushion of the African elephant. Asterisk: adipocytes, arrowheads: collagen fibres with few intermingled elastic fibres. Staining resorcin–fuchsin according to Weigert. Scale bar = 500 µm.

Tissue components in the foot cushion of the African elephant. Asterisk: adipocytes, arrowheads: collagen fibres, arrows: elastic fibres. AP, distinct alcianophilia of the non-fibrillar matrix at pH 2.5 and pH 4. Staining resorcin–fuchsin according to Weigert (a,b), alcian blue (pH 2.5) (c), alcian blue (pH 4.0) (d). Scale bar = 500 µm.

Sagittal section through the distal hindlimb of an African elephant. T, talus; C, calcaneus; OTC, os tarsi centrale; OTT, os tarsale tertium; OMT, os metatarsale tertium; PP, proximal phalanx; PM, medial phalanx; PD, distal phalanx; SM, short muscles of the planta pedis (Mm. interossei, adductores and abductores); TLF, tendon of long toe flexors (Mm. flexor digitorum medialis and lateralis); SS, sole skin; MC, metatarsal compartment of the foot cushion; DC, digital compartment.

Medial aspect of the distal part of the left forelimb in an African elephant. Black line: position of transverse section shown in , broken line: outline of soft tissues of the locomotor apparatus (ligaments, muscles, tendons), stippled: position of the foot cushion. PSR, processus styloideus radii; OCA, os carpi accessorium; OCR, os carpi radiale; OCP, os carpale primum; PP, prepollex; I, first metacarpal bone; II, second metacarpal bone; III, third metacarpal bone; V, fifth metacarpal bone; S1, promimal sesamoid bone of the 1st digit; S2, medial proximal sesamoid bone of the 2nd digit.

Distal part of the left hindlimb in an African elephant. (a) Lateral view, loaded; (b) lateral view, lifted; (c) distal view (sole); (d–f) plantar views, transverse sections in positions I, II and III (broken lines in a and c). Stippled: foot cushion (in a–c), digital compartments (in d) and metatarsal compartment (in e and f), black line (in a and b): outline of soft tissues of the locomotor apparatus (ligaments, muscles, tendons). ML, lateral malleolus (fibula); C, calcaneus; OTQ, os tarsale quartum; 2–5, 2nd−5th ray (proximal or middle phalanges); PH, prehallux; S, skin; SS, sole skin; MFS, main fibrous sheet of the metatarsal compartment; B, bundle of vessels, nerves and fibrous tissue; SAF, strips of adipose and fibrous tissue outside the metatarsal compartment of the foot cushion.