Anat Cell Biol.  2020 Dec;53(4):493-501. 10.5115/acb.20.173.

Comparative evaluation of the ultrastructural morphology and distribution of filiform and fungiform tongue papillae in Egyptian mice, fruit bats and long-eared hedgehogs

• Haggag T
• Mahmoud EF
• Salem ZA
• AbuBakr N

• KMID: 2509695
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.5115/acb.20.173

Abstract

The tongue is a specialized vital organ. It aids in mastication, deglutition and food digestion. It also shares in the perception of taste sensation as it possesses various gustatory papillae. It is being subjected to numerous anatomical and histological examinations aiming at exploring the correlation between its morphological features and animal adaptations to various types of nutrition and environmental conditions. The goal of the present work was to compare the ultrastructural features of the filiform and fungiform papillae of three various mammals possessing different feeding habits; Egyptian mice, fruit bats and long-eared hedgehogs. Specimens were obtained from the tongues of four healthy adult animals from each mammalian type. Tongues were fixed and all the appropriate procedures were done to perform scanning electron microscopic investigation. Scanning electron microscopic examination demonstrated that in mice, there were four different sub-types of filiform papillae (spike, leaf, conical and tongue-shaped). In bats, there were two sub-types (flower and leaf-like) and in hedgehogs, there was only one type (tongue-like). These filiform papillae showed different distribution and orientation. As for the fungiform papillae, they were cylindrical in mice, rounded or conical in bats and dome-shaped in hedgehogs. Fungiform papillae possessed taste pores containing taste buds. Ultrastructural variations of the filiform and fungiform papillae were suggested to be probably due to adaptation to various feeding habits and different environmental conditions of these animals.

Keyword

Tongue; Mice; Chiroptera; Hedgehogs

Figure

• 

  Fig. 1 Scanning electron micrograph of dorsal surface of mice tongue showing (A) SFi arranged in both sides of the median sulcus (arrowheads) and CFi at the tip and lateral sides of the tongue. (B) SFi, LFi with terminal processes and v-shaped sulcus (arrowheads). (C, D) tongue-shaped filiform papillae (star), overlapped leaf-shaped filiform papillae with two or three terminal processes of papillae tips (arrow). (E) thickened CFi overlapping each other. (F) FU in between numerous SFi (arrow). (G) tongue shaped filiform papillae (star) and FU. (H) FU with micro-pits, micro-ridges (arrowhead) and taste pore (arrow). CFi, conical-shaped filiform papillae; FU, fungiform papillae; LFi, leaf-shaped filiform papillae; SFi, spiked shaped filiform papillae.

• 

  Fig. 2 Scanning electron micrograph of filiform and FU of bats showing (A) leaf-like filiform papillae (LFi) overlapping each other at the lateral sides of the tongue, an abundant number of FFi throughout the whole surface of the tongue and scattered FU (arrows). (B) FFi with its multiple apical processes (arrow). (C, D) RFU present between the FFi and elevated parts and microgrooves of FU (arrows). (E) RFU and surface microgrooves (arrow head) that contain the taste pore. (F) CFU scattered in between the filiform papillae with its depressed side wall (arrow head). CFU, conical shaped fungiform papillae; FFi, flower-shaped filiform papillae; FU, fungiform papillae; LFi, leaf-like filiform papillae.

• 

  Fig. 3 Scanning electron micrograph of lingual filiform and FU of hedgehogs showing (A) small number of Fi throughout the dorsal surface of the tongue, FU in posterior part and shallow grooves (arrowheads). (B) Tongue like Fi (arrows) in different directions. (C) Tongue like Fi with different lengths (arrows). (D) Dome-shaped FU of an irregular lobulated surface with grooves (arrowheads) and taste pore (arrow). Fi, filiform papillae; FU, fungiform papillae.

Reference

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