Innervation of the palatine mucous membrane in the Cebus apella monkey.

A histological study was conducted on the innervation of the Cebus apella palatine mucosa. Ten monkeys were used for the present study. After perfusion with 10% formalin, the whole hard palate mucosa was removed in one piece and made into histological sections according to De Castro's method for silver impregnation. We concluded that the nerve fibers form free endings and organized corpuscles, like Meissner corpuscles. Free nerve endings are numerous in the hard palate mucosa and they show a great variety in form and size.