Light microscopic investigations on the circumvallate papillae of the young and aged akkaraman sheep

In this light microscopic study, morphometric parameters of the circumvallate papillae and the number of their taste buds in tongues of young (6-9 month-old) and aged (7 year-old) Akkaraman sheep were compared in order to determine general morphology and whether there were age-related differences in general morphology and numbers of the taste buds between young and aged animals. The tongues were obtained from a local slaughterhouse. Tissue samples containing dorsal lingual papillae of 32 tongues (16 young and 16 aged) from both sexes (equal numbers of the males and females) were used for histological investigation. The mean number and diameter of the circumvallate papilla, mean number and diameter of the taste buds, and the taste bud number per circumvallate papilla were determined under the light microscope. There were no significant differences between the young and aged animals in the mean number and diameter of circumvallate papillae, the taste bud number and the diameter, taste bud number per papilla. Nevertheless, the aged animals had larger circumvallate papillae. These results showed that number of the taste buds and circumvallate papilla did not change with aging in Akkaraman sheep. Because that general morphology of the circumvallate papillae and their taste bud numbers did not change even in older animals, any age-related differences in the sense of taste can not be attributed to gross degenerative changes in taste buds of circumvallate papillae.