THREE DIMENSIONAL ARCHITECTURE OF LYMPHATIC VESSELS IN THE TONGUE

Abstract

We have three-dimensionally reconstructedthe lymphatic architecture of the rabbit tongueusing a computer graphic three-dimensionalreconstruction method together withhistochemically stained serial cryo-sections.Three collecting lymphatic vessels lying inan anteroposterior orientation were identifiedin the tongue body. A superior longitudinalmuscle accompanying collecting lymphatic(SLCL) that lies in the border betweensuperior longitudinal muscle and transversemuscle was identified in this study, in additionto collecting lymphatics in the lingual septum(LSCL) and deep lingual artery accompanyingcollecting lymphatics (DLCL) that we reportedpreviously. The vertical muscle accompanyingcollecting lymphatics (VCL) and thetransverse muscle accompanying collectinglymphatics (TCL) were also identified ascollecting lymphatics that joined the abovethree collecting lymphatics.Specific regional lymph flow was identifiedfor each collecting lymphatic. A transverseright/left cross flow was identified for theLSCL, while the SLCL served the upper 1/3of the tongue and the DLCL served the lower2/3 of the tongue. Each collecting lymphaticthat accompanied the internal lingual musclesjoined to the SLCL, DLCL and LSCL, andwere derived from blind-ended lymphaticcapillaries that ran in the endomysium.Internal lingual muscle accompanyingcollecting lymphatics joined each other in theendomysium, and their blind-ended lymphaticcapillaries had no branches.