Comparative histology of the scent glands of five species of skunks.

A comparative histological study of the papilla and fundic region of the scent glands of Mephitis mephitis, M. macroura, Spilogale putorius. S. pygmaea and Conepatus mesoleucus was conducted. Both the papilla and fundic region consist of a mucosa and a muscularis. The entire organ is covered by a fibrous capsule. The glandular tissue has a compound tubulo-alveolar arrangement where both the alveoli and tubules are lined by simple cuboidal serous cells. The scent glands are highly modified, enlarged, apocrine sweat glands. Differences in both the papilla and fundic region occur between the species and involve epithelial keratinization, vacuolization of the mucosa and arrangement of secretory tissue in the gland.