Functional and positional difference and classification of the fungiform papillae on the rabbit tongue seen in microvascular cast specimens by means of scanning electron microscope.
The relationships between the functional and morphological characteristics, the positional difference and classification seen in microvascular cast specimens (MVCS) of the fungiform papillae (FuP) on the anterodorsal surface and both sides of the intermolar eminence (IME) of the rabbit tongue were examined and compared by means of scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The small fungiform papillae (S-FuP), scattered sporadically among the numerous small filiform papillae (SfP), were found to be distributed irregularly over the anterodorsal surface. The large fungiform papillae (L-FuP), distributed in a length-wise line in the anterior to the posterior direction among the SfP, were found to be distributed on both peripheral sides of the IME. FuPs consisted of the ascending and descending capillary loops, forming the central hole on the top of the FuP, resembling a carnation, the petals of which numbered eight to twelve, and were wider and more complex in shape and size than SfPs were morphologically different. S-FuPs can be classified into three types: type I (consisting of eight petals), type II (ten petals) and type III (twelve petals) according to the shape of the FuP and the number of petals, L-FuPs, were larger and wider than S-FuPs and of a more complex shape, classified into two types: type I (consisting of ten petals) and type II (twelve petals) according to the shape of the FuP and the number of petals in the MVCS of FuPs as seen in SEM. These results suggest that the petals in the ascending and descending capillary loops of the FuP expand into flower-like figures, increase on the surface and play an effective role in receiving the taste sense from foods and liquids on the antero-dorsal surface and both peripheral sides of the IME.
Ojima
K
K
Dental Research Institute, School of Dentistry at Tokyo, The Nippon Dental University, Japan.
Hosaka
M
M
Suzuki
Y
Y
D000818:Animals; D002196:Capillaries / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D011817:Rabbits; D014059:Tongue / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000648:ultrastructure*