Histological and anatomical structure of the nasal cavity of Bama minipigs.
OBJECTIVE
The nasal mucosa is equipped with abundant lymphatic tissues, serving as the first line of defense against invasion by microorganisms. In this study, we characterized the features of the nasal mucosa of Bama minipigs (Sus scrofa domestica) via histological analysis.


METHODS
Five cross sections (I, II, III, IV, and V) were obtained from the distal end of the nasal cavity toward the pharynx (along the cavity axis) and examined. Specifically, CD3+ T cells, immunoglobulin A (IgA)+ cells, and M cells were detected by immunohistochemistry, while dendritic cells (DCs) were detected by immunofluorescence. The distribution of goblet cells was determined by periodic acid-Schiff (PAS) staining.


RESULTS
The nasal cavity of Bama minipigs can be divided into three parts: the regio vestibularis (I, II), regio respiratoria (III, IV), and regio olfactoria (V). Lymphoid tissue was present at random locations in the nasal cavity. Abundant lymphoid tissue was located in the roof of the nasopharyngeal meatus and was continuous with the lymphoid tissue of the pharynx. The distribution of CD3+ T cells, IgA+ cells, M cells, and DCs increased distally in the nasal cavity.


CONCLUSIONS
The present work comprises a histological study of the nasal cavity of Bama minipigs, and will be beneficial for understanding the mechanisms of immunity in these animals after nasal vaccination.
Veterinary College, Nanjing Agricultural University, Weigang 1, Nanjing, Jiangsu, PR China.
Jingjing
J
Yang
Veterinary College, Nanjing Agricultural University, Weigang 1, Nanjing, Jiangsu, PR China.
Lei
L
Dai
Veterinary College, Nanjing Agricultural University, Weigang 1, Nanjing, Jiangsu, PR China.
Qinghua
Q
Yu
Veterinary College, Nanjing Agricultural University, Weigang 1, Nanjing, Jiangsu, PR China.
Qian
Q
Yang
D000818:Animals; D003713:Dendritic Cells / Q000378:metabolism; D007070:Immunoglobulin A / Q000378:metabolism; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000378:metabolism; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008221:Lymphoid Tissue / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000378:metabolism; D009296:Nasal Cavity / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000378:metabolism; D013552:Swine; D013556:Swine, Miniature / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000378:metabolism
D007070:Immunoglobulin A; D007075:Immunoglobulin M