Abstract
The purpose of the this study was to attempt to as certain the functional and developmental changes in the microvasclar cast specimens of the fungiform papillae as a taste sensory organ on rat tongue during wearning.
Wister white rats during weaning (about 20 days old) and adult rats as the control group were used in this study.
The microvasclar cast specimens of the fungiform papillae were made with the Ojima's corrosive resin cast method, and observed and compared using the composite photomicrographs from a scantling electron microscope. The followind were results:
1. The microvasclar cast specimens of rat tongues during weaning were similar to those of the adult rat tongues.
2. The fungiform papillae were sporadicaly distributed on the antero-dorsal surface of the anterior tongue coverd an area form the top of the tongue to intermolar eminence on the rat tongue.
3. The radical structure of the fungiform papillae consisted of several ascending and descending branches and loop structure related to the capillary structure.
4. The outline of microvasclar cast specimems of fungiform papillae showed a cylincrical structure with an opening at upper and lower bottom parts. The lateral view showed the bamboo basket-line network structure made of several loop structure.
5. The fungiform papillae of rats during wearning were slightly samller than those of adult rat, but there were no other differences morphologically.
6. In the comparison of rats during weaming and adult rat, clear differences based on sex not observed in the results of this study, wtich the fungiform papillae as taste organ of rats during wearning were completely developed in terms of morphology and function.
