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Dorsal lingual epithelium of Platemys pallidipectoris (Pleurodira, Chelidae)
Author(s) -
Beisser Christian J.,
Weisgram Josef,
Splechtna Heinz
Publication year - 1995
Publication title -
journal of morphology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.652
H-Index - 74
eISSN - 1097-4687
pISSN - 0362-2525
DOI - 10.1002/jmor.1052260303
Subject(s) - cytoplasm , endoplasmic reticulum , biology , electron microscope , transmission electron microscopy , nucleus , ultrastructure , epithelium , connective tissue , anatomy , tongue , lingual papilla , biophysics , microbiology and biotechnology , pathology , materials science , nanotechnology , optics , medicine , physics , genetics
Scanning electron microscopy reveals that the flat tongue of Platemys pallidipectoris has shallow grooves and no lingual papillae. The surface of the tongue is covered with dome‐shaped bulges, each corresponding to a single cell. Short microvilli are distributed over the cell surface. Light microscopy shows a stratified cuboidal epithelium with an underlying strong connective tissue. Transmission electron microscopy indicates four layers. The basal cells of the epithelium are electron‐translucent and have a large central nucleus and a cytoplasm with keratin tonofilaments. Plasma cells with abundant rough endoplasmic reticulum and mitochondria occur in the basal layer. Production of secretory granules begins in the more electron‐dense intermediate layers and increases as the cells move toward the surface. The membranes of the cells of the deep intermediate layer form processes that project into relatively wide intercellular spaces. In the superficial intermediate layer, the cytoplasm of the cells contains numerous fine granules; these increase in number but not in size in more distal layers. The cells of the surface layer are electron‐translucent with a round nucleus. Contents of their fine granules are secreted into the oral cavity. © 1995 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.