Angioarchitectural classification of the fungiform papillae in the cat tongue.

Three-dimensional structures of the microvascular network of the fungiform papillae (FuP) of the cat tongue were observed by the corrosion cast method under a scanning electron microscope (SEM). FuP were found to be distributed sporadically among the different types of numerous filiform papillae (FiP). A single FuP consisted of the main process (MP) and the accessory process (AP) which were arranged at-the anterior basal margin of the MP. FuP can be classified into four types (I approximately IV) according to the shape and size of the MP and the number of AP within each FuP. FuP-I to FuP-III contained a large, medium and small MP, showing the small fishnet-ball and oval-ball shapes, and these were surrounded at the anterior basal margin by AP inclining toward the anterior part of the tongue. FuP-IV contained only the small fishnet-ball-shaped MP.