Volume 12
Issue 2
Veterinary Medicine
JOURNAL OF
POLISH
AGRICULTURAL
UNIVERSITIES
Available Online: http://www.ejpau.media.pl/volume12/issue2/abs-11.html
HISTOLOGICAL AND ULTRASTRUCTURAL CHANGES OF THE TONGUE IN RED-EARED TURTLE (TRACHEMYS SCRIPTA ELEGANS) AFTER HIBERNATION
Krzysztof Marycz1, Joanna Kleękowska-Nawrot2, Krzysztof Maksymowicz3, Krzysztof Kaliński4
1 Electron Microscope Laboratory,
Departament of Animal Hygiene and Ichthyology,
Wroc³aw University of Environmental and Life Sciences, Poland
2 Department of Anatomy and Histology,
University of Environmental and Life Sciences in Wroc³aw, Poland
3 Department of Forensic Medicine,
Medical University of Wroc³aw, Poland
4 Electron Microscope Laboratory,
University of Environmental and Life Sciences in Wroc³aw, Poland
ABSTRACT
Hibernation is a key process
conditioning breeding in turtles. It is also an intrinsic part of reptiles' life:
the period in which animals do not ingest food and the way to survive unfavourable
temperature conditions. Until now, the research has solely focused on the morphological
structure of the turtle's tongue in definite physiological conditions. The purpose
of this study was to detect ultrastructural changes in hibernation in the red-eared
turtle (Trachemys scripta elegans). The material was collected between
the years 2004-2006 and came from the Zoological Garden in Poznan, Poland and
from private breeders. The examined material included four red-eared turtle females
2–4 years old. The conducted research showed distinct morphological changes related
to the distribution of papillae and microvilli on the tongue surface. during
hibernation. It was found that loose interpapillary areas had formed and the
loss of small, strongly degenerated, cuboidal cells was observed. The hibernation
process led to closure of columnar mucous channels that had been open before.
The disuse of the tongue for 3–4 months resulted in local destruction or apoptosis
of the examined structures. The cuboidal cells lost their cellular capsule which
had been partly or entirely digested. As a result, only the skeleton of these
cells remained. Microvilli that are found directly on the tongue papillae surface
have decreased. They are differentiated in structure and often of irregular size.
The macroscopic picture of the tongue of the red-eared turtle (T. scripta
elegans) after the hibernation period exhibits a considerable hypertrophy
of the connective tissue, though the position of the tongue in respect to the
mandilular bones remains unchanged. After introducing turtles into hibernation
the tongue does not show histophysiological activity, and cubicoidal cells are
empty inside.
Key words: hibernation, red-eared turtle, lingual papillae, microvilli.
Krzysztof Marycz
Electron Microscope Laboratory,
Departament of Animal Hygiene and Ichthyology,
Wroc³aw University of Environmental and Life Sciences, Poland
Koæuchowska 5b, 50-375 Wroc³aw, Poland
Phone: +48 71 320 58 88
email: krzysztofmarycz@interia.pl
Joanna Kleękowska-Nawrot
Department of Anatomy and Histology,
University of Environmental and Life Sciences in Wroc³aw, Poland
Koæuchowska 1/3, 51-631 Wroc³aw, Poland
Phone: +48 71 320 57 44
email: lestat_v@poczta.onet.pl
Krzysztof Maksymowicz
Department of Forensic Medicine,
Medical University of Wroc³aw, Poland
Mikulicza-Radeckiego 4, 50-368 Wroc³aw, Poland
email: maks@forensic.am.wroc.pl
Krzysztof Kaliński
Electron Microscope Laboratory,
University of Environmental and Life Sciences in Wroc³aw, Poland
Koæuchowska 5b, 51-631 Wroc³aw, Poland
Responses to this article, comments are invited and should be submitted within three months of the publication of the article. If accepted for publication, they will be published in the chapter headed 'Discussions' and hyperlinked to the article.