Abstract:

Objective:The aim of this studywas to investigate whether cleft palate is associatedwith the mal-developmentof the vomer, Jacobsoncs organ and para-septal cartilage.Methods:Sixty craniomaxillary complexes, which came from 30 pairs of trisomy 18 with cleft palate (Ts+CP) and euploid mouse fetuseswere precisely orientated in the coronal plane, and serially sectioned at7Lm thickness. With the aid of computer imaging analysis system the vomer in coronal and sagittal direction, Jacobsoncs organ and para-septal cartilage in the boundary plane of the primary and secondary palate were measured and compared quantitatively.Re- sults:The hard tissues (including the vomer and para-septal cartilage) of the anterior nasal septum in Ts+CP foetuses show seri- ous developmental hypoplasia, however, the Jacobsoncs organ had no significant different between the cleft and non-cleft samples. Conclusion:Developmental hypoplasia of these hard tissues may be more closely related with the autosomal trisomic condition more than the cleft palate.

Key words: cleft palate, vomer, Jacobson′s organ, paraseptal cartilage, trisomy-18mouse, comparative morphmetrics