title: Histological and ultrastructural aspects of the tongue in undernourished rats.
abstract: There are few published studies on the effects of protein-caloric undernourishment on the oral mucosa.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The objective of this study is to verify the histological and ultrastructural aspects of the tongue mucosa in protein-caloric undernourished adult rats.
  
  
  METHODS
  A clinical experimental study was done in thirty Wistar rats, 15 controls and 15 with protein-caloric undernourishment. The last group received ration in small amounts, with a reduced casein content, during 45 days. Rats were weighed every 3 days, from the first (90 days of life) to the last day of a 45-day dietary period, when they were sacrificed. Plasma was used for protein electrophoresis and their tongues were prepared for light and scanning electron microscopy. Analyses of variance and Student's t-test were used for statistical analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A significant decrease in weight and in plasma proteins was found in protein-caloric undernourished rats compared to the control group. Histological findings revealed no differences between the two groups and there were no statistically significant differences in the filiform papilla count under the scanning electron microscopy.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Protein-caloric undernourishment does not cause alterations in the tongue mucosa of adult rats.
authors.affiliation: Otorhinolaryngology and Disturbances of Human Communication Department, Paulista Medical School, São Paulo Federal University, Brazil. lfmabreu@uol.com.br
authors.forename: Marilda Aparecida Milanez Morgado
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: de Abreu
authors.forename: Luc Louis Maurice
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Weckx
authors.forename: Cleonice Hitomi Watashi
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Hirata
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001797:Blood Protein Electrophoresis; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D006801:Humans; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D009061:Mouth Mucosa / Q000166:cytology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D010784:Photomicrography; D011502:Protein-Energy Malnutrition; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D014059:Tongue / Q000166:cytology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D015431:Weight Loss