Angioarchitectural comparison of the filiform papillae of the cat and rabbit using scanning electron microscopic specimens.

Since the precise reasons for the functional and morphological relationship of the filiform papillae (FP) in microvascular cast specimens (MVCS) between the cat and rabbit tongue are as yet not clear, the functional and morphological characteristics of FP on the anterior dorsal surface of these tongues were studied and compared by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). In both species, numerous FP are usually inclined toward the pharynx. In the cat, in particular, there were five types of FP in which types I-III contained a main process (MP) and many accessory processes (AP), and the concave network aspect of their spoon-like and complex MP faced toward the posterior part of the tongue. In the rabbit, numerous FP showed the same type but without AP. The concave network aspect of their arrow-head-like and loose tips faced in an anterior direction, which was the opposite direction to those in the cat FP. These results suggest that the directional difference in the concave network face of MP on FP in both species i.e., the cat and the rabbit, is due to the difference in feeding habits.