Morphology and morphometry of lingual papillae in adult and newborn Egyptian fruit bats (Rousettus aegyptiacus).

The paper presents a comparison of the microscopic structure and morphometric traits of gustatory and mechanical lingual papillae in newborn and adult frugivorous Egyptian fruit bats (Rousettus aegyptiacus). All of the four types of lingual papillae found in adult animals were observed on the tongue surface in the newborn Egyptian fruit bats. After the birth, the gustatory papillae (fungiform and vallate papillae) were especially well-developed, as their structural characteristics, such as morphology of the epithelium and presence of the taste buds, indicate that they have reached almost complete functional traits. Mechanical papillae, particularly filiform papillae, in newborns are still fetal in character. Keratinization processes in the epithelium of these papillae are not advanced and specific structures, such as elongated processes, are missing. The morphometric analysis of the size of papillae and thickness of the mucosal epithelium showed that a complete development of keratinized structures in Egyptian fruit bats occurs at later stages of postnatal development.

Scanning electron microscopic study of the lingual papillae in the arctic fox (Alopex lagopus L., 1758).

This study aims to show the distribution and the three-dimensional structure of the lingual papillae in the arctic fox. The macro- and microscopic structure of the tongue and its lingual papillae was studied in 11 adult arctic foxes. Two types of mechanical papillae were distinguished on the dorsal surface of the tongue--filiform papillae and conical papillae. The gustatory papillae in the arctic fox are represented by fungiform, vallate and foliate papillae. The keratinized filiform papillae on the anterior part of tongue are composed of one big posterior process accompanied by 10-12 secondary anterior processes. The number of anterior processes of filiform papillae undergo a complete reduction within the area between the posterior part of the body of the tongue and area of the vallate papillae. The conical papillae cover the whole dorsal surface of the root of the tongue, including the lateral parts surrounding the area of the vallate papillae and the posterior part of the root. The size of the conical papillae increases towards the root of the tongue but their density decreases. In the arctic fox, there are three pairs of vallate papillae distributed on the plan of a triangle. The diameter of vallate papillae in each successive pair is bigger. The wall surrounding the body of the vallate papilla and its gustatory trench is composed of six to eight conical papillae joined at various degree. The foliate papillae on both margins of the tongue consist of seven to nine laminae.

Coronary arteries of the roe deer (Capreolus capreolus; Linnaeus 1758) heart.

A study of the coronary arteries of the roe deer heart was performed on 21 hearts of animals of both sexes and various ages. The roe deer heart is supplied by two arteries: the left coronary artery and the right coronary artery. The left coronary artery arises from the left aortic sinus and forms a short common trunk. The left coronary artery reaches the coronary groove, then divides into the paraconal interventricular branch and the circumflex branch. The circumflex branch gives off several branches to the left ventricle wall and terminates in the subsinuosal interventricular groove as the subsinuosal interventricular branch. The right coronary artery is less pronounced than the left coronary artery. It arises from the right aortic sinus and enters the coronary groove as the right circumflex branch. We found the left arterial cone branch in 75% and the right arterial cone branch in 80% of the cases investigated. The coronary arteries of the heart run subepicardially. In 9 cases we found muscular bridges over the coronary arteries, mostly on the paraconal interventricular branch. In conclusion we affirm the left type of the arterial vascularisation in the roe deer heart.

Fungiform papillae of the tongue in the rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus).

Examinations were conducted on four tongues of adult rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus). On the basis of observations in a scanning electron microscope (SEM) it was found that fungiform papillae in the rabbit are located on the dorsal surface of the apex and body of the tongue, in the front of the torus of the tongue and on the margins of the tongue. Moreover, fungiform papillae are located laterally in relation to the torus of the tongue and are arranged linearly. Fungiform papillae are distributed among filiform papillae and are separated from them by the interpapillary epithelium. The connective tissue core of fungiform papillae is formed from the body, narrow at the base and wider at the apex and 10-17 crest-like folds arranged around them. On the dorsal surface of the connective tissue core of fungiform papillae there are impressions of taste buds and occasionally traces of lymphatic nodules.

Vallate papillae in the domestic rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus f. domestica).

On the root of the tongue in the rabbit there are two symmetrically located vallate papillae, covered by nonkeratinized stratified squamous epithelium. The epithelium is characterized by variable thicknesses, forming epithelial streaks of different length and irregular shape. Taste buds are found both in the epithelium covering the papillae and in the epithelium of the outer walls of the papillae from the side of the furrows. The outer wall of the vallate papillae is gradually transformed with no visible boundary into the surface of the root of the tongue devoid of papillae. The surface of the vallate papillae is uneven. The connective tissue core of the papillae is formed by numerous, irregularly shaped connective tissue papillae, between which epithelial streaks are arranged. Around the connective tissue core of the papillae there is a circular connective tissue fold, with a furrow located on its circumference and the core of the outer wall of the vallate papillae. Numerous excretory ducts of the posterior serous lingual glands (Ebner's glands) open on the fundus of the circular furrow of each vallate papilla. Sometimes excretory ducts of these glands open directly onto the surface of a vallate papilla and then in their vicinity taste buds are found. The results of this study show the structure of vallate papillae on the tongue of adult rabbits, at the same time indicating differences in their structure in comparison to the vallate papillae of other animal species.

Microvascularization of the canine hepatic ducts.

The angioarchitecture of the proximal and distal segments of the hepatic duct in the dog was investigated by means of vascular corrosion casts under a scanning electron microscope. The results of observations indicated a change of the pattern of vascularization of the hepatic duct along with the increasing distance of the hepatic duct from the liver and increasing diameter of the duct. In the proximal hepatic duct, the main blood vessels run along the duct as a pair of supplying arteriole and voluminous collecting venule, while in the distal segments of the hepatic duct on the opposite margin of the duct two vascular triads were observed, composed of two venules and one medial arteriole. On the surface of both segments of the hepatic duct, there are well-anastomosed outer venous plexuses. In the distal segments of the hepatic duct, the outer venous plexus accompanies a fine outer arterial rete. Observations of the intramural network indicate the presence of single terminal arterioles running to mucosa and supplying a subepithelial capillary network. Differences were observed in the blood drainage from the mucosa, as in the proximal segment of the hepatic duct single post-capillary venules are found, while in the distal segment in the mucosa a well-developed mucosal venous plexus is formed. In the well-developed venous system of the hepatic duct no valves were observed.

The distribution and structure of the lingual papillae on the tongue of the bank vole Clethrinomys glareolus.

The distribution and three-dimensional structure of the lingual papillae were studied by means of scanning electron microscopy. The elongated tongue in the bank vole is about 12 mm in length and about 3 mm in width. The characteristic features of the tongue are the median sulcus on the apex of the tongue, considerable narrowing in the body of the tongue and a well developed intermolar prominence. On the surface of the apex and body of the tongue three morphological types of the filiform papillae and fungiform papillae were observed. The intermolar prominence of the tongue is covered with conical and saw-like filiform papillae. On the posteriolateral margin of the intermolar prominence two foliate papillae were found. A single oval vallate papilla was situated in the median line of the anterior part of the root of the tongue. The posterior part of the lingual root is flat without papillae. The distribution and types of the lingual papillae found in the bank vole are similar to those in species of the Microtinae family.

scanning electron microscopy of lingual papillae in the common shrew, Sorex araneus, L.

The dorsal surface of the tongue of the adult common shrew (Sorex araneus L.) was examined by scanning electron microscopy. As in the other insectivores, three types of lingual papillae were observed: filiform, fungiform and vallate papillae. The filiform papillae represented the most numerous type of lingual papillae. The characteristic feature of the filiform papillae, covering the apex and corpus of the tongue, is the two processes tilted to the root of the tongue. The filiform papillae on the lingual apex are reduced in size and structure. Five to six fungiform papillae are placed symmetrically along the left and right border of the corpus of the tongue. Two large oval vallate papillae are located on the radix of the tongue. The posterior surface of the tongue in common shrew is covered with a smooth mucosa with the openings of the serous glands.

Brain basal arteries in various species of Felidae.

Observations of the branching pattern of head and brain arteries in 10 species of the Felidae family were performed in casts prepared by filling the blood vessels of interest with appropriate kind of plastics. Arterial casts supported by bone structures were obtained as a result of biological maceration of animal heads, in which arteries were filled with vinyl superchloridae, whereas the preparations which were produced by means of Technovit resin were macerated chemically. As may be judged from the results obtained the brain blood supply in Felidae is characterized by obliteration of the extracranial segment of the internal carotid artery and by simultaneous formation of the rete mirabile of the maxillary artery. The arterial circle of the brain in animals from various subfamilies of Felinae and Pantherinae differed in shape. Vascular variation was found in the animals investigated. The arterial pattern of blood supply to the brain of Felidae differs from the vascular pattern of this region in other animals from the Carnivora order.

The porcine ear skin as a model system for the human integument: influence of storage conditions on basic features of epidermis structure and function--a histological and histochemical study.

Based on careful tissue processing, detailed structural analysis, and histochemical as well as cytophotometrical evaluation of the epidermis, the study presents data with respect to changes of tissue integrity during two storing modes (room temperature and 4 degrees C) and various storage times of the porcine auricle. Structural degeneration was first noted in the barrier region of the epidermis from where such changes spread, independent of storage conditions, from small horizontal necrotic islands and continuously with increasing storage time. The histochemical results corroborated these observations, emphasizing, however, that the lower epidermal layers seemed intact for a longer time period than the upper layers. Cytophotometrical evaluation of histochemical stainings showed, with regard to the enzyme succinate dehydrogenase, that oxidative metabolism was negatively affected in the early stages of storage, whereas epidermal lipids (neutral fats, glycolipids) remained relatively stable, even during storage at room temperature. In conclusion, it was obvious that the barrier region is the most sensitive element of the porcine ear epidermis. Taking into consideration that this part of the epidermis is most important for permeation studies, it seems reasonable to avoid any storage of porcine auricles at room temperature, and to use only auricles that have been stored at 4 degrees C for not more than 4 to 6 hours, immediately after delivery from the slaughter-house. In this way better tissue preservation can be achieved, whereby the use of shinkage-free water-soluble plastic embedding would generally improve the histological control of structural integrity, and the application of an easy to handle enzyme histochemical procedure (e.g. succinate dehydrogenase demonstration) to unfixed fresh-frozen sections would help to control basic aspects of tissue functions. The results are discussed in relation to the use of porcine integument as a model in human dermatological research.

Familial occurrence of pig intersexes (38,XX; SRY-negative) on a commercial fattening farm.

Occurrence of sex-reversal (38,XX; SRY-negative) cases in the progeny of a single boar was observed. Altogether 11 intersexes, originating from nine litters, given by nine sows were found. The breeder classified the sex-reversal individuals as females with enlarged clitoris. In addition, it was noticed that the anus was joined with the vulva. Moreover, in the scrotum-like structure one or two gonads were present. Cytogenetic evaluation was carried out for the sire, five dams and seven intersexes. The study revealed the normal male karyotype (38,XY) in the sire and the normal female karyotype (38,XX) in the dams and the intersexes. Molecular detection of the presence of the SRY gene was carried out for the sire, five dams, 10 intersexes and 28 phenotypically normal siblings. The SRY gene was present in the genotype of the sire and the male siblings. Three intersexes were subjected to detailed anatomical and histological examinations, after slaughter in a local slaughterhouse. Gonads were classified as testes with well-developed epididymis, however, without spermatogenetic activity. The presence of a properly developed uterus and ducti deferens was observed, but oviducts were not found. The collected data indicate that the sex-reversal status was caused by an unknown autosome, recessive mutation. Genetic background of this type of intersexuality is discussed in this study.

TEM and SEM observations on the extracellular matrix of the developing murine centra.

TEM and SEM application demonstrated that the shift from chondrification to ossification in the developing murine centra from day 15 to day 18 of gestational age is marked by typical structural variations of the extracellular matrix (ECM). During day 15 GA, typical matrix vesicles with crystalline contents appeared, as followed by single and fusing pleomorphic aggregates of a more regular crystalline structure. During days 17/18 GA, these structures disappeared, and the ECM now exhibited a network of collagen fibrils that had been less conspicuous before. During the time period studied, the ECM switched from a more acid (proteoglycans) to a rather neutral (glycoproteins) milieu.

Mucosal microvasculature of the gastric pars nonglandularis and margo plicatus in the horse: a scanning electron microscopic study on corrosion casts.

The microvascularisation of the equine non-glandular gastric mucosa was investigated using corrosion casts for scanning electron microscopy. Specimens from 11 healthy horses were examined. Corresponding to the high incidence of gastric lesions in the margo plicatus, special attention was paid to the differentiation between the pars nonglandularis and the margo plicatus as a distinct area of the aglandular mucosa. In both areas, the blood vessels of the lamina propria mucosae were arranged in three vascular layers; i. e. I) a basal, II) an intermediate, and III) a subepithelial horizontal level. In the basal (I) and in the intermediate (II) layers the vascular supply was organised in arterial retia-rete arteriosum profundum, rete arteriosum subpapillare- and venous plexus-plexus venosus profundus, plexus venosus subpapillare. Vertical interconnections integrated the layers into the vascular network of the entire lamina propria. The subepithelial (III) layer represented the blood vessels of all the individual connective tissue papillae in the lamina propria mucosae. Ansae capillares intrapapillares were found in the pars nonglandularis. In contrast, each of the papilla of the margo plicatus contained a "cone shaped" rete capillare intrapapillare. The thicker epithelium and lamina propria mucosae of the margo plicatus was therefore supplied by less numerous, but longer intrapapillary blood vessel systems. The typical vascular components of the margo plicatus may be considered to be one of several links in the etiological chain which characterises gastric mucosal lesions in the horse's stomach.

[The structure of the skin of the ear in domesticated pigs, with special reference to their use for human dermatological research. 2. Specific histology of the integument]. / Untersuchungen zur Struktur der Ohrhaut beim Hausschwein, unter besonderer Berücksichtigung einer Verwendung in der humandermatologischen Forschung: 2. Spezielle Histologie des Integuments.

Based on light microscopy, the study describes the specific histology of the ear integument of the white domesticated pig. After careful tissue fixation and embedding, routine histological staining, collagen fibre staining, fat demonstration based on frozen sections, and ink injection of the integumental blood vessel system were applied. A detailed description is presented of the structure of the skin layers (epidermis, dermis, hypodermis), the ear cartilage envelopes (fascia, perichondrium), the plica scaphae, the blood vessel distribution, the architecture of the collagen fibre bundles, as well as the hair follicles and the skin glands (sebaceous glands, apocrine tubular glands). The results are discussed with regard to a direct comparison with the histological structure of the human integument, and the advantages and disadvantages of the use of the porcine ear skin as model system in human dermatological research are emphasized.

X trisomy in an infertile bitch: cytogenetic, anatomic, and histologic studies.

Three copies of the X chromosome were identified in a 5-year-old mixed breed infertile bitch. One year after the cytogenetic examination, the bitch died due to gastritis hemorrhagica, an inflammation of the mucus coat of the stomach. Dental studies showed congenital lack of some premolar and molar teeth. Ovaries were of normal shape and size. Also, histologic sections of the ovaries revealed their normal structure, with two corpora lutea and primary follicles. Phenotypic effects of X trisomy are discussed.

The course of blood vessels in the hip joint capsule of the dog.

The course and the arrangement of capsular blood vessels in the joint capsule's wall, together with their extracapsular origins, were investigated using cleared specimens that had been injected with Latex, or Technovit, or India-ink in serum. Arteries enter areas of the joint capsule's wall near its femoral as well as coxal attachment. The intramural vascular network is arranged in layers which are assigned to the stratum fibrosum and stratum synoviale, with one or two intermediate, less distinct layers in between. The ramification in the network of the stratum fibrosum is mainly stellate. Circular anastomoses connecting the supplied areas are located in the capsule's periphery. In the stratum synoviale, the vascular network is made of close, elongated meshes in a circular extension.

Nutritional and functional blood vessels of anagen and telogen vibrissal follicles in the cat.

The nutritional blood vessel system in the anagen (growing) vibrissal follicle consists of a rete capillare papillae pili, rete capillare bulbi pili, rete capillare folliculi pili, and rete capillare canalis pili. Due to degeneration of papilla and bulb during the sinus hair cycle, the basal capillary networks are absent in the telogen (resting) vibrissal follicle. Thus, nonpermanent and permanent capillary networks have to be distinguished. A functional blood vessel system originates from arterioles that enter the sinus cavernosus at its basolateral side. Blood flow continues into the sinus anularis. Efferent capillaries, originating from the apical-axial area of the sinus anularis, build up a separate network for the collection of blood from the sinuses. These capillaries continue towards the dermis, contribute to the nutritional vascularization of the sebaceous gland, and finally connect with the subepidermal capillary loops.

The caroticobasilar artery in species of order Perissodactyla.

The caroticobasilar artery was investigated in animals of order Perissodactyla, in species of Equidae family, and in lowland tapir of Tapridae family. It was found that the caroticobasilar artery forms homolateral or bilateral anastomosis between the basilar and internal carotid arteries or in horse and other species of Equidae family between basilar and caudal intercarotid arteries. The caroticobasilar artery was found in all species of Equidae family, in all zebras and in one tapir.

Demonstration of NADPH-diaphorase (NO-synthase) in sebaceous glands of the mammalian integument, with remarks on the glandular capillary net.

The study demonstrates weakly to strongly positive reaction staining for NADPH-diaphorase/NO- synthase in the peripheral cells of sebaceous glands in the hairy skin of domesticated mammals. Additionally, the structure of the blood capillary system surrounding these glands is better elucidated. The results obtained are discussed in view of a modulatory action of NO generated by these enzyme activities, implying a direct influence of this substance on the contractile elements of gland-associated blood capillaries. In this way, a simple and self-regulatory mechanism to couple blood flow and glandular metabolism can be proposed.