Kociánová I., F. Tich˘, A. Goro‰ová: Ultrastructure of the Olfactory Epithelium of Kittens. Acta Vet. Brno 2001, 70: 375-379. The structure of the olfactory epithelium of a 35-to-40-day-old kitten was studied by transmission electron microscopy. The samples were collected from the ethmoidal labyrinth. At this stage of development, the regio olfactoria was lined by a typical pseudostratified olfactory epithelium built of olfactory cells, sustentacular cells, and basal cells. The height of the

more »

... thelium varied between 16 and 18 µm. A characteristic feature of the free surface of the epithelium was a considerable degree of differentiation. Protruding above the surface were endings of dendritic projections of sensory cells with a diameter of 0.8-to-1.0 µm carrying numerous atypical cilia and 1.0-to-1.5 µm long microvilli of sustentacular cells. Supranuclear segments of the supportive and olfactory cells contained a large amount of rough and smooth endoplasmic reticulum and numerous elongated mitochondria. Long dendritic projections of the olfactory cells were closely surrounded by apical cytoplasm of the sustentacular cells. Contacts among the cells were provided by close intercellular links. The data on the structure of the olfactory epithelium of 35-to-40-day-old kittens indicate that the epithelium at this age is fully functional. Sense organs, transmission electron microscopy, olfactory epithelium, ontogenesis ACTA VET. BRNO 2001, 70: 375-379