Stereographic demonstration of the nasal cavity of the rat with reference to the density of blood vessels.

Stereographic demonstration of the nasal cavity and distribution of the density of blood vessels were analyzed by computer simulation of serial sections of the rat nose. The nasal cavity was lined by 3 types of epithelium: Stratified epithelium covering the nasal vestibule, the anterior part of the maxilloturbinale, and the anterior part of the septum; respiratory epithelium covering most of the naso- and maxilloturbinalia, and middle part of the septum; and olfactory epithelium covering most of the ethmoturbinale and postero-dorsal part of the septum. Distribution of densities of blood vessels in the lamina propria of the nasal mucosa was roughly correlated with the distribution of the 3 types of epithelium: 194 blood vessels/mm2 of lamina propria beneath the olfactory epithelium; 82 vessels/mm2 beneath the stratified epithelium; and 66 vessels/mm2 beneath the respiratory epithelium. The average density of blood vessels in the nasal cavity was 3.8 times higher than that of the oral cavity. The high density of blood vessels in the nasal cavity was considered to be related to the function of the nose, i.e., the warming and humidification of inspired air.