Olfactory sensory organ can perceive the chemical molecules of external environment. Here, we observed olfactory and vomeronasal organs in Pelophylax nigromaculatus using the silver staining, nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate-diaphorase (NADPH-d) histochemistry staining and electron microscopy. Three cell types in the olfactory and vomeronasal epithelia could be distinguished using silver staining. Nuclear staining of supporting cells was strongly dark, but nuclear staining of the receptor cell was in a irregular spotting pattern. In addition, the proportion of olfactory receptor cells in the vomeronasal epithelium was significantly more than that of the olfactory epithelium. The olfactory and vomeronasal organs showed different staining patterns and they could be easily distinguished when NADPH-d histochemistry staining was employed. Finally, the supporting cells in the olfactory and vomeronasal epithelia consisted of two cell types: ciliated supporting cells and granular secretory supporting cells.
Baxi K N, Dorries K M, Eisthen H L. 2006. Is the vomeronasal system really specialized for detecting pheromones. Trends in Neurosciences, 29(1): 1-7.
Bertmar G. 1981. Evolution of vomeronasal organs in vertebrates. Evolution, 35(2): 359-366.
Dving K B, Trotier D, Rosin J F, et al. 1993. Functional architecture of the vomeronasal organ of the frog (genus Rana). Acta Zoologica (Stockholm), 74(3): 173-180.
Hansen A, Reiss J O, Gentry C L, et al. 1998. Ultrastructure of the olfactory organ in the clawed frog, Xenopus laevis, during larval development and metamorphosis. The Journal of Comparative Neurology, 398(2): 273-288.
Hillenius W J, Watrobski L K, Rehorek S J. 2001. Passage of tear duct fluids through the nasal cavity of frogs. Journal of Herpetology, 35(4): 701-704.
Meyer D L, Fackler I R, Jadhao A G, et al. 1997. Differential labelling of primary olfactory system subcomponents by SBA (lectin) and NADPH-d histochemistry in frog Pipa. Brain Research, 762(1/2): 275-280.
Nowack C, Wöhrmann-Repenning A. 2010. The nasolacrimal duct of anuran amphibians: suggestions on its functional role in vomeronasal perception. Journal of Anatomy, 216(4): 510-517.
Rachelle M B, Lynda D C. 2009. Review of aquatic sex pheromones and chemical communication in anurans. Journal of Herpetology, 43(2): 184-191.
Shapiro L S, Halpern M. 1998. Development of NADPH-diaphorase expression in chemosensory systems of the opossum, Monodelphis domestica. Developmental Brain Research, 111(1): 51-63.
Stuelpnagel J T, Reiss J O. 2005. Olfactory metamorphosis in the Coastal Giant Salamander (Dicamptodon tenebrosus). Journal of Morphology, 266(1): 22-45.
Taniguchi K, Toshima Y, Saito T R, et al. 1996. Development of the olfactory epithelium and vomeronasal organ in the Japanese reddish frog, Rana japonica. Journal of Veterinary Medical Science, 58(1): 7-15.