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Corpuscular bodies in the palate of the rat. 1. Morphology and distribution
R S Liem1, J D van Willigen, J C Copray
1Department of Neurobiology and Oral Physiology, Medical and Dental School, University of Groningen, The Netherlands.
Insights
Rats possess palate corpuscular bodies, likely taste receptors, that change in number from birth to 180 days. Their quantity initially rises then significantly declines with age.
Area of Science:
- Oral biology
- Histology
- Neuroscience
Background:
- Palatal corpuscular bodies are structures of unknown function.
- Their presence and development in rats are not well-documented.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the morphology and distribution of palatal corpuscular bodies in rats.
- To determine the developmental changes in these structures from birth to 180 days.
- To elucidate the potential function of these corpuscles as taste receptors.
Main Methods:
- Light and electron microscopy were used to examine rat palate tissue.
- Morphological characteristics and cell types within the corpuscles were analyzed.
- The frequency and distribution of corpuscles were quantified at different postnatal ages.
Main Results:
- Corpuscular bodies were identified in the incisal papilla and soft palate epithelium.
- Four cell types (basal, type I, II, III) were observed, with nerve endings contacting three types.
- Corpuscle numbers increased in the first two weeks post-birth, then significantly decreased with age.
Conclusions:
- The morphology and innervation suggest these corpuscular bodies function as taste receptors.
- The dynamic changes in corpuscle number indicate a role in postnatal development and potentially food selection learning.
Abstract:
The morphology and the frequency distribution of corpuscular bodies in the palate was studied in rats using light and electron microscopy. The study extended from the day of birth through 180 days after birth. The corpuscles appeared as round (diameter 35-50 microns) to ovoid (width 40-60 microns, height 60-90 microns) bodies intercalated within the epithelium of the incisal papilla and the soft palate. A subepithelial nerve plexus surrounded the base of a corpuscle. For types of cells were identified within the corpuscle: basal, type I (dark), type II (pale) and type III cells. Some cells bore microvilli which protruded through a pore into the oral cavity. Numerous nerve endings terminated in close relation to the latter three types of cells. Two distinct types of membrane specializations were found representing axosomatic and axo-axonal contacts. On morphological grounds we interpret the structures described as receptors of taste. At birth, a mean total of 21 corpuscles was observed in the entire palate of which 31% was located on the incisal papilla and 68% was found in the soft palate. During the first 2 weeks (16 days) of postnatal life, the number of corpuscles increased. Thereafter, a significant decrease in corpuscle number occurred with increasing age. We speculate that the corpuscles are associated with the learning process of food selection.