DIFFERENTIATION OF THE OLFACTORY EPITHELIUM IN SWINE IN ONTOGENY

The structure of the olfactory epithelium was studied in swine by mean s of light microscopy along with its morphology and the development of the olfactory epithelium. The material for light microscopical method s was obtained from the mucosa of the fetal regio olfactoria of piglet s on day 41, 55, 57, 60, 64 and 94 of gestation and 5 days after the b irth. The structure of the olfactory epithelium consists of supporting cells, olfactory neurons and basal cells which appear in early develo pmental stages (on 41 day of gestation). During the prenatal developme nt the number of individual cells continued to increase and the olfact ory epithelium with thickness of about 30 mu m in 41-day-old foetuses reached a thickness of about 120 mu m in 5-day-old piglets. The fibrou s structures on the surface of the epithelium were visible in 41-day-o ld foetuses and apical parts of supporting and sensory cells formed li ght strip in 55-day-old foetuses. The discontinuous development of ind ividual cells was especially remarkable in 64-day-old foetuses. In lam ina propria mucosae the bands of axons and olfactory glands and their development in 94-day-old foetuses were clearly visible.