Premium
The Olfactory System in the Hagfish Myxine glutinosa
Author(s) -
Theisen Birgit
Publication year - 1973
Publication title -
acta zoologica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.414
H-Index - 37
eISSN - 1463-6395
pISSN - 0001-7272
DOI - 10.1111/j.1463-6395.1973.tb00462.x
Subject(s) - hagfish , biology , cilium , olfactory epithelium , microbiology and biotechnology , olfactory mucosa , olfactory system , ultrastructure , receptor , olfactory receptor , epithelium , olfactory receptor cell , anatomy , biochemistry , neuroscience , vertebrate , gene , genetics
The apical part of the olfactory epithelium in Myxine glutinosa was investigated by optical and electron microscopy. This part of the epithelium consists of supporting cells and two types of olfactory receptor cells, i.e. , ciliated receptor cells and microvillous receptor cells. The olfactory cilia have a 9 + 0 pattern of the microtubules, occasionally with one pair of the doublets dislocated towards the center of the cilium. Giant cilia were observed. The supporting cells bear microvilli and are rich in tonofilaments. The supporting cells also have a secretory function, their secretion consisting mainly of acid mucopolysaccharides. An asymmetrical type of desmosome was found between the olfactory receptor cells and the supporting cells.