Smith T D, Siegel M I, Mooney M P, Burdi A R, Todhunter J S
School of Physical Therapy, Slippery Rock University, PA 16057, USA.
Cleft Palate Craniofac J. 1996 Sep;33(5):385-94. doi: 10.1597/1545-1569_1996_033_0385_vogadi_2.3.co_2.
As part of an ongoing investigation of normal and cleft lip and palate (CLP) fetal midfacial development, the vomeronasal organ (VNO) was examined in 35 human fetuses (26 normal and 9 CLP) ranging in age from 8 to 30 weeks postmenstrual age. All specimens were examined histologically, and a computer reconstruction technique was used to quantify lengths and volumes of right and left VNOs and anterior paraseptal cartilages (PCs). Growth curves were generated for these data and were compared between normal and cleft samples. VNOs and PCs were present in all normal fetuses, whereas VNOs were found in only 5 of 9 CLP specimens and PCs were found in 8 CLP specimens. The side of the palatal cleft in specimens with unilateral CLP was associated with PC dysmorphologies but appeared to have no influence on VNO presence or absence. Septal dysmorphologies were observed in most CLP specimens with absent or abnormal VNOs. VNO length increased in a linear fashion across ages, and VNO volume was seen to change in a logarithmic fashion. Individual CLP specimens did not differ significantly from the mean of the normal sample for VNO length or volume. PC length was seen to change in a sigmoidal fashion, and PC volume changes were best described by a logarithmic curve. In contrast to findings on the VNO, CLP specimens exhibited significantly different growth rates (line slopes) for PC length and volume compared to the normal sample. Results on the normal sample suggested that the human fetal VNO exhibits volumetric increases between the 16th and 30th weeks of development, but this increase begins later and proceeds more slowly than that of the PCs. Examination of the CLP sample suggested that the VNOs were of "normal" size for age, but may be vulnerable to septal dysmorphologies that result in altered location or disruption.
作为对正常及唇腭裂胎儿面部中部发育的一项正在进行的研究的一部分，对35例月经龄8至30周的人类胎儿（26例正常胎儿和9例唇腭裂胎儿）的犁鼻器（VNO）进行了检查。所有标本均进行了组织学检查，并使用计算机重建技术对左右犁鼻器和前鼻中隔软骨（PC）的长度和体积进行量化。针对这些数据生成了生长曲线，并在正常样本和腭裂样本之间进行比较。所有正常胎儿均存在犁鼻器和鼻中隔软骨，而在9例唇腭裂标本中仅5例发现有犁鼻器，8例发现有鼻中隔软骨。单侧唇腭裂标本中腭裂的一侧与鼻中隔软骨形态异常有关，但似乎对犁鼻器的有无没有影响。在大多数犁鼻器缺失或异常的唇腭裂标本中观察到鼻中隔形态异常。犁鼻器长度随年龄呈线性增加，犁鼻器体积呈对数变化。个别唇腭裂标本在犁鼻器长度或体积方面与正常样本均值无显著差异。鼻中隔软骨长度呈S形变化，鼻中隔软骨体积变化最好用对数曲线描述。与犁鼻器的研究结果相反，唇腭裂标本的鼻中隔软骨长度和体积的生长速率（直线斜率）与正常样本相比有显著差异。正常样本的结果表明，人类胎儿犁鼻器在发育的第16至30周体积增加，但这种增加开始时间较晚且比鼻中隔软骨增加得更慢。唇腭裂样本的检查表明，犁鼻器对于其年龄来说大小“正常”，但可能易受导致位置改变或破坏的鼻中隔形态异常的影响。
