title: Angioarchitectural structure of the fungiform papillae on the anterodorsal surface of the rat tongue.
abstract: To ascertain whether the microvascular morphological differences of fungiform papillae (FuP) on the anterodorsal surface of the rat tongue are locationally and functionally related, this study aimed at examining and comparing, in greater detail, the comparative morphological characteristics of FuP. FuP were sporadically and consistently scattered among numerous filiform papillae (FiP) in three parts: the apical, central and in front of the intermolar eminence on the anterodorsal surface. We studied these by means of the microvascular cast specimen (MVCS) of FuP using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The results obtained in this study showed that in all three parts on the anterodorsal region, the capillary bed of FuP presented as a netbasket-like and cylindrical figure with a central hole consisting of 4-5 horizontal rings of several ascending and descending roots. FuP in the central part on the anterodorsal region were relatively larger in size and more cylindrical in shape than those of both the other parts, and they play the leading part as sensory organs for the taste sense and were regarded as taste receptive organs.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, School of Dentistry at Tokyo, Nippon Dental University, Japan.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ojima
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Saiki
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Takahashi
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Matsumoto
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Takeda
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D008833:Microcirculation / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D008961:Models, Structural; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D014059:Tongue / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000098:blood supply*