Light and scanning electron microscopic study of the filiform papillae of the tongue in adult rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus f. domestica, Linnaeus 1758)

This study was conducted on 10 tongues of adult rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus. domestica), of both sexes (five females and five males). The filiform papillae of the tongue were studied, using light and scanning electron microscope. The filiform papillae were arranged on the dorsal surface of the apex and body of the tongue and on its margins. The investigation showed that there were single and complex filiform papillae on the rabbit tongue. These single filiform papillae were cone-shaped, similarly as their connective tissue cores. Complex papillae were palm-shaped and cone-shaped with three to seven processes. However, the number of processes towards the throat diminished. Connective tissue cores of these papillae had also processes. The filiform papillae consisted of an anterior and posterior epithelial cell column. The anterior epithelial cell column showed signs of parakeratinization or soft keratinization whereas the posterior epithelial cell column – hard keratinization. Between filiform papillae there was interpapillary epithelium which did not have any signs of keratinization