[A comparative morphometrical study on development of anterior septonasal accessory organs in the cleft palate mice].

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate whether cleft palate is associated with the mal-development of the vomer, Jacobson's 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 fetuses were precisely orientated in the coronal plane, and serially sectioned at 7 microns thickness. With the aid of computer imaging analysis system the vomer in coronal and sagittal direction, Jacobson's organ and para-septal cartilage in the boundary plane of the primary and secondary palate were measured and compared quantitatively.

Results: The hard tissues (including the vomer and para-septal cartilage) of the anterior nasal septum in Ts + CP foetuses show serious developmental hypoplasia, however, the Jacobson's organ had no significant different between the cleft and non-cleft samples.

Conclusion: Development hypoplasia of these hard tissues may be more closely related with the autosomal trisomic condition more than the cleft palate.