Angioarchitectural structure of the fungiform papillae on rabbit tongue anterodorsal surface.
The relationships between the functional and morphological characteristics and the positional difference of the microvascular cast specimen (MVCS) of the fungiform papillae (FuP) on the antero-dorsal surface of the rabbit tongue were examined and compared using a scanning electron microscope (SEM). The sporadic FuPs scattered among the numerous small filiform papillae (SfP) were found to be distributed irregularly over the antero-dorsal surface. FuPs consisted of the ascending and descending capillary loops, forming margins of the central opening at the top of FuP. They resembled flower-like configurations (carnations), the petals of which ranged from eight to twelve, and they were larger in width and more complex in shape than SfPs with morphological differences. FuPs can be classified into three types: type I (consisting of eight petals), type II (ten petals), type III (twelve petals) according to the shape of FuP, and to the petal number of the flower-like aspect on the eight points of MVCS of FuPs observed by SEM. These results suggest that the petals of the ascending and descending capillary loops of FuP expanded the flower-like figure, increased in the surface areas and effectively play a role in receiving the sense of taste.
Ojima
K
K
Department of Physiology, School of Dentistry at Tokyo, Nippon Dental University, Japan.
Takahashi
T
T
Matsumoto
S
S
Takeda
M
M
Saiki
C
C
Mitsuhashi
F
F
D000818:Animals; D008833:Microcirculation / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D008961:Models, Structural; D011817:Rabbits / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D013649:Taste; D014059:Tongue / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000648:ultrastructure