The anatomical and histological structure of the bile duct in the Egyptian buffalo was studied during the different prenatal and pos tnatal stages.
The bile duct originates during the early prenatal life as a result of the union of the cystic and the hepatic ducts outside the porta hepatis. It communicates with the primitive duodenum through its intramural part which opens at the duodenal papilla. The bile duct comprises, in the various stages, a free part and an intramural one. The wall of the former is made up of a mucosa followed by discon tinuous layer of smooth muscle cells and serous coat. Meanwhile, the wall of the intramural part comprises a mucosa which is comple tely surrounded with a muscular coat.