Rat Tongue Tissue
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The digital image above is a reconstruction of a 16-micrometer horizontal section of rat tongue tissue stained with Alexa Fluor 488 (wheat germ agglutinin; lectins), Alexa Fluor 568 (phalloidin; actin), and DAPI (nuclei). The primary tongue muscle in rats, as well as in humans, is the geniglossus. The geniglossus muscle is fan-shaped and attached to the middle of the lower jawbone. It holds the tongue in both its forward and protruding position.