A comparative histological study of the tongue of rat (Rattus norvegicus), bat (Eidolon helvum) and pangolin (Manis tricuspis) / Estudio histológico comparativo de la lengua de rata (Rattus norvegicus), murciélago (Eidolon helvum) y pangolín (Manis tricuspis)

This study assessed the micro anatomical differences in the tongue of rat, bat and pangolin with a view to establishing the functional anatomical differences of these mammalian tongues on their dietary pattern. Ten rats, ten bats and ten pangolins were used for this study. The animals were sacrificed and the tongue excised and processed for light microscopical study adopting the following stains: Haematoxylin Eosin, Verhoeff Gieson and Masson trichrome. The results showed non papillation of the keratinized stratified epithelium of pangolin tongue unlike the papillation seen in the tongue of the rat and bat. While the filiform papillation seen in the rat was bristle like, the filiform papillae in the bat were crown-like. There was also an unusual dense collagenous ring in the proximal portion of the pangolin tongue which was absent in other mammals. There were taste buds along the lateral walls of the vallate papillae in the distal portion of the tongue of rats and bats but none was found in the pangolins. In conclusion, the morphology of the tongues of these mammals showed a relationship between their feeding pattern and the adaptive changes in the microanatomy of their tongue.

Se evaluó los aspectos micro-anatómicos de la lengua de la rata, murciélago y pangolín, con miras a establecer las diferencias funcionales anatómicas de las lenguas de estos mamíferos en su patrón alimentario. Diez ejemplares de cada animal se utilizaron para este estudio. Los animales fueron sacrificados y las lenguas fueron extirpadas y procesadas para el estudio microscópico de luz, usándose las tinciones: Hematoxilina Eosina, Verhoeff Gieson y tricrómico de Masson. Los resultados mostraron la no papilación del epitelio estratificado queratinizado de la lengua de pangolines a diferencia de la papilación vista en la lengua de la rata y del murciélago. Por otro lado, las papilas filiformes vistas en la rata se presentaban como puntas, siendo como coronas en el murciélago. También hubo un inusual anillo de colágeno denso en la porción proximal de la lengua de pangolines, estando ausente en los otros mamíferos. Se observaron botones gustativos a lo largo de las paredes laterales de las papilas caliciformes en la porción distal de la lengua de las ratas y los murciélagos, pero ninguno fue encontrado en la de los pangolines. En conclusión, la morfología de las lenguas de estos mamíferos mostró una relación entre su patrón de alimentación y los cambios de adaptación en la anatomía microscópica de la lengua.

Macro-micro-anatomy of the Vessels of an Ulnar Skin Flap in the Forearm / 第三军医大学学报

The ulnar vessels of 50 adult cadavers were studied under operating microscope to investigate the vascular basis of an ulnar skin flap in the forearm. The length of the stem of the ulnar artery is 21.63 cm in average. The length of the covered and exposed segments is 10.79 and 10.88 cm respectively. The caliber of the ulnar artery is 3.90, 2.70 and 2.30 mm at its upper, middle and lower parts respectively. Each ulnar artery gives off 7.86 cutaneous branches in average. The number of the cutaneous branches of the covered segment is smaller than that of the exposed segment, but the caliber of the branches of the former is larger. These cutaneous branches cover an area of 79.57 cm2, mainly medial to the line from the mid-point of the medial supracondylar line to the mid-point of the interstyloid line. A large cutaneous branch arises from the covered segment with relatively constant origin, course and distribution. The caliber of this branch is 1.01 mm and its distribution area 19.57 cm2 in average. This branch may be used asa solitary arterial pedicle for a skin flap. Certain problems in relation to the transplantation of a free ulnar skin flap in the forearm were discussed.

Macro-micro-anatomy of Blood Vessels of Sternocleidomastoid Muscle Flap / 第三军医大学学报

The description of the origin of the arteries supplying the middle and lower thirds of the sternocleidomastoid muscle (SCM) was not consistent in the literature. 50 specimens of SCM on adult cadavers were studied with macro-micro-dissections. The relative distribution areas of various muscular arteries of SCM were displayed on a diagram. It was clearly shown that the upper, middle and lower thirds of SCM were mainly supplied by the muscular branches of the occipital, external carotid and superior thyroid arteries respectively. In 39 out of the 50 specimens, there was an additional muscular artery coming from a branch of the subclavian artery to supply the origin of SCM. The distribution area of this additional artery was so limited that it could not be considered as one of the main muscular arteries of SCM.Thus the muscular arteries of SCM came from different origins. If a single- eaded myocutaneous flap of SCM is made, seperate muscular artery must be peserved for each head of the muscle to avoid necrosis of the muscular flap as well as the remaining muscle. If free arterial pedicle is employed, the musular branch of the external carotid or superior thyroid artery is the artery of choice since either branch is superficially located and has a diameter of 1.1 mm on average.The muscular arteries of SCM entered the muscle in a dispersed way, and there was no vascular porta formed on SCM.