哺乳动物受到高温胁迫时可通过分泌汗液调节体温。一般认为啮齿类在高温时不出汗,但有关野生啮齿类汗腺的资料不多。我们以长爪沙鼠和布氏田鼠为研究对象,采用苏木精—伊红染色方法,观察了身体各部位皮肤的形态学特征、汗腺的分布和密度。结果显示:(1)两种鼠的头部、口角、胸部、腋窝、腹部、背部和后腿部的皮肤都无汗腺分布,只在不被毛的前足与被毛的后足有外泌汗腺分布;(2)长爪沙鼠前、后足皮肤汗腺的密度分别为(2.40±0.49)个/mm^2和(0.15±0.03)个/mm^2,前足显著多于后足;布氏田鼠前、后足皮肤汗腺的密度分别为(0.37±0.05)个/mm^2和(0.21±0.08)个/mm^2,前、后足无显著差异。两种鼠前后足皮肤的汗腺密度可能与被毛状态相关,有被毛则汗腺密度低。推测长爪沙鼠和布氏田鼠前后足的汗腺可能具有辅助散热和运动时增加摩擦力等功能。
Mammals can sweat to regulate body temperature when exposed to high ambient tenperature,but it has been stated that rodents do not sweat,and there is little information on sweat glands in wild rodents. By using hematoxylin-eosin staining techniques,we examined the skin morphology,sweat gland distribution and density in Mongolian gerbils( Meriones unguiculatus) and Brandt's voles( Lasiopodomys brandtii). We did not find sweat glands on the skin of head,angulus oris,stethidium,armpit,abdomen,dorsum,and hind-leg,but eccrine sweat glands on hairless palmar and hairy plantar skin were found in both Mongolian gerbils and Brandt's voles. Density of sweat glands of fore-paws( 2. 40 ±0. 49 / mm^2) was higher than that on hind-paws( 0. 15 ± 0. 03 /mm^2) in Mongolian gerbils,while there was no significant difference between fore-paws( 0. 37 ± 0. 05 / mm^2) and hind-paws( 0. 21 ± 0. 08 /mm^2) in Brandt's voles. It seems that sweat gland density might be related to the hair condition of paws,density is low when the paw skin is hairy. We predict that the function of sweat gland in Mongolian gerbils and Brandt's voles may help to increase heat dissipation and increase friction for locomotion.