ニホンザル, タイワンザル, アカゲザルの気管長と気管軟骨輪

抄録

As a model of phenotype of cartilage formation, the pattern and the number of tracheal cartilage rings were surveyed in three different groups of Macaca(macaque). They are easy to approach and to count or measure. For Japanese(J), Formosan(F)and Rhesus(R)monkeys, the length of trachea(from distal end of cricoid cartilage to tracheal carina)was J:4.6-8.5cm(average 6.86), F:7.0-9.1cm(averege 7.8)and R:5.6-7.7cm(average 6.76). The number of cartilage rings for J, F and R was 21.54±2.89, 23.63±3.46 and 22.55±2.43, respectively. The average number of fused rings in J, F and R was 2.8, 6.4 and 5.9. Practically all three groups of macaque had similar length of trachea and number of tracheal cartilage rings. Most of tracheal rings were complex type(J23/26, F8/8, R20/20)composed of two to four cartilage pieces. In cross section, the dorsal protion of C type ring was overlapped. Whether left or right half edge covers over the opposite half edge was not consistent. The number of cartilage rings was not always proportional to the length of trachea. The comparison of cartilage pattern of trachea to that of bronchus, the change of the pattern with age, the comparison of the pattern of parents with their offspring(genetical survey), and also the embryological survey of the tracheal cartilage pattern remained to be surveyed.