Structural and ultrastructural study of the anterior portion of the nasal septum and inferior nasal concha.

We used scanning electron microscopy to study and compare the histologic and ultrastructural aspects of the mucosa of the anterior portion of the septum (APS) and the anterior portion of the inferior concha (APINC) in 10 healthy adults and 10 cadavers. We found that (1) in most cases, the types of epithelium were generally the same in both areas--pseudostratified cylindrical ciliated epithelium with goblet cells (respiratory epithelium), stratified cuboidal epithelium, and stratified squamous nonkeratinized epithelium; (2) the APINC had more respiratory epithelium than the APS; (3) the APS had more squamous epithelium than the APINC; (4) the basement membrane of the APINC was thicker than that of the APS; (5) moderate chronic inflammatory infiltrate was more common in the APINC, and mild infiltrate was more common in the APS; and (6) the APINC had more mucous glands and the APS had more serous glands.