Some factors related to experimental snout growth.

This is a review and synthesis of several different studies over a 25-year period on growth of the rabbit snout. Included are growth of the nasal bone region, cellular activity of the cartilaginous nasal septum, growth at the frontonasal suture, growth of the snout after resection of the frontonasal suture, and growth of the snout after resection of the cartilaginous nasal septum in both young and adult rabbits. Each experiment contributed different knowledge to factors important in rabbit snout growth. The frontonasal suture is a site of rapid growth, as much as 1 cm in 4 weeks. However, after extirpation of the frontonasal suture, growth of the snout was not altered. Therefore, it was concluded that the frontonasal suture is a secondary and not a primary site of growth. After resection of the cartilaginous nasal septum in young rabbits, the snout became snubbed. This was not true in the adult rabbit, which maintained its usual length after resection of the nasal septum.