Histological properties and biological significance of pouch in red kangaroo, Macropus rufus.
2 embryos, 4 youngs, 4 older youngs and the pouch of 2 mothers of the red kangaroos were examined. The results obtained are as follows: 1. The initial muscle spindles are already observed light microscopically in the vertebral, dorsal neck and forelimb muscles of the newborn baby and a little bit later in the masticatory muscles of the young of 68 mm in craniorump length and 28 g in body weight. 2. In the skin with less hair lining the inner surface of the pouch, abundant apocrine large sweat glands are observed, especially surrounding the basal region of the nipple and in the pleat formation of the skin. 3. The lactiferous mammary gland is enlarged, the lobules being divided by the interlobular muscle fiber tissue and enwrapped by the muscular capsule. The milk is squirted automatically by the muscle fiber contraction from the gland to the nipple, to which the baby attaches itself. 4. The musculature of the pouch wall is developed to form the sphincter muscle in the pouch orifice. The sphincter muscle plays an important role in conditioning the optimum temperature for the naked baby inside the pouch. 5. The apocrine perfume plays an important role in guiding the baby on the journey to the pouch after birth and the apocrine products also in maintaining the optimum humidity of the pouch to accomodate the baby. 6. During the long period of stay in the pouch, the masticatory and locomotive systems and their neuromuscular mechanism related to the herbivorous mastication become fully established and then the young leaves the pouch to feed on the animal's proper diet.
Kubota
K
K
Institute of Stomatognathic Science, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Japan.
Shimizu
T
T
Shibanai
S
S
Nagae
K
K
Nagata
S
S
D000009:Abdominal Muscles / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D007614:Macropodidae / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000196:embryology / Q000502:physiology; D008321:Mammary Glands, Animal / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D008394:Marsupialia / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D009558:Nipples / Q000033:anatomy & histology