Motility of the cilia of the frog fungiform papillae
Rapuzzi, G.; Gilberti Vitali, G.; Villa Balduini, A.
Bollettino della Societa Italiana di Biologia Sperimentale 54(20): 1963-1968
1978
ISSN/ISBN: 0037-8771 PMID: 753284 Document Number: 129867
The movements of the fungiform papillae cilia on the tongue of a frog were shown, magnified microscopically 500-600 .times. in constant action on a television screen. The experiment was conducted on externally flexed tongues of frogs anesthetized with MS 222 Sandoz. The lingual surface was illuminated to permit examination of the papillae at the points where light was reflected. The papillary summits show a whirling motion activating the fluid that submerges the papillae around an extensive convex central surface. This surface does not show any agitation of the liquid that surrounds and appears subdivided by furrows. The relations between the whirling movements and the extension of the zone delimited by them appear to be the function of the ciliary beat. The intensity of the whirling motion is maximal in the center and decreases toward the exterior of the papilla. The ciliary motility seems useful to the receptor apparatus particularly in the resting phase rather than during stimulation by activating agents, because in that phase the ciliary movement stops. During the resting phase the regulation of the surrounding fluid facing the papilla is apparently very necessary to promote secretory activity, and the recovery of ions from the salivary fluid. The ciliary motion would help remove material such as mucus.