Prenatal Development of the Lingual Intrinsic Skeletal Musculature, Lingual and Von Ebners Glands of the Tongue in Goat Foetii (Capra hircus)

The present study conducted on the tongue of 18 goat foetii revealed that the differentiation of skeletal muscle was first noticed among the mesenchymal cells at 40 days of foetal age (CRL = 3. 40 cm). These were better differentiated at 62 days of gestational age (CRL=10.0cm) and showed continued gradual development with advancing foetal age. The typical cross striations in the lingual intrinsic skeletal muscles was first observed at 121 days of foetal age (CRL = 27.50cm). The first appearance of lingual gland in the tongue of the goat foetii was observed at 62daysof gestation (CRL =10.10cm) and the first indication of appearance of Von-Ebner'sgland was observed in the tongue of goat foetii at 120 days (CRL= 31.1 cm).