[Development of accessory structures of the mechano- and chemoreceptor apparatus of the tongue during rat ontogeny (scanning electron microscopy)].

The dynamics on the formation of different types of mechno- and chemosensitive papillae in the rat tongue has been studied during different periods of postnatal ontogenesis by means of scanning electron microsopy. Asynchronous maturation of these papillae has been demonstrated, they perform certain functions during the early postnatal ontogenesis and reach their functional maturity by the age of 3 weeks when animals go over from suckling to solid food.