The aim of this study was to investigate the morphological development pattern of conical papilla (CP) during prenatal and postnatal periods in native Korean goats by scanning electron microscopy. Tongues were removed from fetuses on days 90, 120, and neonates and from juveniles on days 30, 50, 60, 75, 90, 120, 150, and 180 after birth. The lengths of CP were 194~240 μm in neonates, 335~485 μm in the weaning period of 60-day-old goats, and 526~662 μm in the maturing period of 180-day-old goats. The primordia of CP in 90-day-old fetuses, shaped like mountain berry, were sprouted. The CP of 120-day-old fetuses was a cylinder shape with an apex whose center was slightly concave and the margin was sticking up like a low fence. The CP of neonates was empty inside and the secondary papillae were irregularly arranged fence-like structures on it. In 60-day-old goats, CP was an obliquely sectioned cylinder shape compacted in inner surface; the shapes of CP varied in 120-day-old goats, and had a smooth surface. A low elevation of CP was observed in 150- and 180-day-old goats. The microridges, microplicae, and micropits were well developed on the epithelial surface of lingual papillae in 60- to 120-day-old goats. These findings indicate that CP of goats has a variety of sizes and shapes during development.

• Chungkil Won(Research Institute of Life Science & Department of Veterinary Medicine, Gyeongsang National University) Corresponding author
• Gyuhyen Cho(Research Institute of Life Science & Department of Veterinary Medicine, Gyeongsang National University)
• Munki Kim(Research Institute of Life Science & Department of Veterinary Medicine, Gyeongsang National University)
• Gon-Sup Kim(Research Institute of Life Science & Department of Veterinary Medicine, Gyeongsang National University)
• Chongsup Kim(Research Institute of Life Science & Department of Veterinary Medicine, Gyeongsang National University)