Description

The atlas is a series of light scanning and transmission electron microscopic structures of the digestive tract and salivary gland of the swiftlet. In the first part of the atlas, the light scanning electron micrographs depict the digestive process in the swiftlet best described as “compartmentalized” the hard body parts, viz. legs of inserts are digested in the proventriculuc while the entire, soft body part is digested in the duodenum and jujenum. Transmission electron micrographs in the second part of this atlas identify the factor that could possibly contribute to the hihly acclaimed excellent nutritional and medicinal properties of the edible bird nest(EBN)