Quantitative and distributive study of the fungiform papillae in the cat tongue in microvascular cast specimens

The number of fungiform papillae (FuP) has been counted, and distribution has been observed on the tongue of 55 adult cats. FuP were sampled from the whole region of the tongue surface, and the number and variation in distribution were determined in microvascular cast specimens (MVCS) of four types of FuP (Ojima et al. 1996) by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). There were approximately 35 (female) and 42 (male) FuP (mean number 38) on the whole tongue dorsal surface. FuP were most numerous in the peripheral region, and the number tended to decrease progressively from the peripheral to the medial region. There were no FuP in the central region of the tongue, in which there were types I and II filiform papillae (FiP) (Ojima and Lowe 1995). Their number differed significantly between the sexes and the regions.