Lanlua Passara, Sricharoenvej Sirinush, Niyomchan Apichaya, Chico Diane E
Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand.
Ital J Anat Embryol. 2007 Jul-Sep;112(3):179-90.
Pteropus lylei (Lyle's flying fox), an Old World fruit bat, consumes only ripe fruit, which contains low protein and sodium. The carpophagous diet of P. lylei presents an adaptive challenge for salivary glands to conserve sufficient nutrition for living. Therefore, the parotid glands in both sexes were investigated by using light microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. No structural difference was observed in the parotid glands between sexes. The acinar cell contained dense serous secretory granules, prominent luminal microvilli and intercellular canaliculi. The intercalated duct exhibited simple cuboidal epithelium with no secretory granule. Striated duct consisted of simple columnar epithelium with basal striation, numerous elongated mitochondria, and apical vesicles. In the interlobular duct, simple tall columnar epithelium and apocrine secretion were found. The interlobar and excretory ducts surprisingly contained continuous capillaries that intervened in stratified cuboidal epithelium. In addition, there were several blood vessels around the interlobular, interlobar and excretory ducts. The morphological adaptation of the parotid gland observed in P. lylei enables this species to obtain sufficient nutrients from the preferred consumption of ripe fruit. Serous secretory granule was suitable for digestion of ripe fruit. A well-developed striated duct, continuous capillaries among the epithelial cells of interlobar and excretory ducts, and numerous blood vessels around these ducts enhanced the reabsorption of amino acids and ions. Structural variations in the parotid gland can indicate not only a correlation to diet and survival but also a close relationship of the Old World fruit bat to other kinds of bats.
利氏狐蝠（莱尔氏狐蝠）是一种东半球果蝠，只食用成熟果实，而成熟果实蛋白质和钠含量低。利氏狐蝠以果实为食的饮食习惯对唾液腺来说是一项适应性挑战，需要唾液腺保存足够营养以维持生命。因此，利用光学显微镜和透射电子显微镜对两性的腮腺进行了研究。两性腮腺在结构上未观察到差异。腺泡细胞含有密集的浆液性分泌颗粒、明显的管腔微绒毛和细胞间小管。闰管表现为单层立方上皮，无分泌颗粒。纹状管由具有基底纹的单层柱状上皮、大量细长线粒体和顶端小泡组成。在小叶间导管中，发现了单层高柱状上皮和顶浆分泌。叶间导管和排泄导管令人惊讶地含有连续的毛细血管，这些毛细血管穿插于复层立方上皮中。此外，小叶间、叶间和排泄导管周围有几条血管。在利氏狐蝠中观察到的腮腺形态适应使该物种能够从偏好食用的成熟果实中获取足够营养。浆液性分泌颗粒适合消化成熟果实。发达的纹状管、叶间导管和排泄导管上皮细胞间的连续毛细血管以及这些导管周围的大量血管增强了氨基酸和离子的重吸收。腮腺的结构变化不仅可以表明与饮食和生存的相关性，还可以表明东半球果蝠与其他种类蝙蝠的密切关系。
