The Intermediate Epithelium Lining the Nasopharynx of the Suncus murinus

In the adult Suncus murinus, the rostral part of the nasopharynx is lined with the ciliated columnar epithelium continuing from the nasal cavity, while the laryngopharynx with the stratified squamous epithelium; i.e., the epithelium lining the caudal part of the nasopharynx forms the transitional zone between the ciliated columnar epithelium and the stratified squamous one. The epithelium shows gradations ranging from ciliated stratified low-columnar through stratified cuboidal to stratified squamous type. It is suggested that the epithelium is identical with the "intermediate epithelium (Nakano, 1986)".