A histomrtrical study of mouse olfactory mucosa with particular reference to postnatal changes in the lamina propria *
The olfactory mucosa consists of an olfactory epithelium, in which the sensory cells are situated, and an underlining lamina propria containing olfactory glands, capillaries and olfactory nerve fasciculi. To investigate postnatal development of the olfactory mucosa, septal olfactory mucosae of ICR-mice from 0 day to one year of age were histometrically examined. The olfactory mucosa thickness increased after birth, and the mucosae were approximately 170 μm thick from 10 days to one year of age. Compared with the olfactory epitheium, the lamina propria at birth was thin, but its thickness increased up to 2.5-fold between 0 and 60 days of age. Olfactory nerve fasciculi in the septal side layer of the lamina propria showed marked postnatal changes in both area proportions and individual diameters. Postnatal development of not only the olfactory ensheathing glia but also axons in the glia might be involved in changes in the lamina propria of the septal olfactory mucosa. (Accepted on September 3, 2009)
