Summary
The interatrial septum of the rat heart contains cells which show a strong intensive-yellow paraformaldehyde-induced fluorescence. By electron microscopy these cells are characterized by an abundance of dense-core vesicles.
Cholinergio axons form axo-somatic synaptic contacts with the catecholamine-containing cells. These cells, packed with dense-core vesicles, are frequently interdigitated and interconnected by zonulae and maculae adhaerentes and occludentes. The catecholamine-containing cells are surrounded by satellite cells either individually or in groups.
The catecholamine-containing cells, which bear blunt, plumpish processes, can be subdivided, on the basis of position and morphology into two types. One class of cells lies within the fibroblast capsule of the intra-atrial ganglion (van der Zypen, Hasselhorst, Merz and Fillinger, 1974). A second aggregation of catecholamine-containing cells occurs outside the ganglia in close proximity to capillaries. The capillaries exhibit pores in the area of contact with the catecholaminergic cells. The structure of these catecholamine-containing cells is described and their possible function discussed.
Zusammenfassung
Im Septum interatriale des Rattenherzens treten Zellen in Erscheinung, die nach Paraformaldehyd-Bedampfung eine intensive hellgelbliche Fluoreszenz zeigen. Diese Zellen zeichnen sich durch einen großen Reichtum an dense-core vesicles aus. Cholinerge Axone bilden axo-somatische Synapsen an den katecholaminhaltigen Zellen aus. Die mit dense-core vesicles angefüllten Zellen sind oft ineinander verzahnt und durch Zonulae adhaerentes verbunden. Einzeln oder in Gruppen werden die katecholamin-enthaltenden Zellen von Satelliten-Zellen umgeben.
Die mit kurzen plumpen Fortsätzen versehenen katecholaminhaltigen Zellen lassen aufgrund ihrer Lage und eines andersartigen Baues zwei Typen erkennen. Eine Gruppe von Zellen liegt innerhalb der Fibrozytenkapsel des Ganglion intraatriale (van der Zypen, Hasselhorst, Merz und Fillinger, 1974). Eine zweite Ansammlung von Katecholamin enthaltenden Zellen findet sich außerhalb der Ganglien in engem Kontakt zu Kapillaren. Die Kapillaren weisen im Bereich des Kontaktes mit den katecholaminergen Zellen Poren auf. Die Struktur dieser Zellen wird geschildert und ihre mögliche Funktion diskutiert.
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van der Zypen, E. On catecholamine-containing cells in the rat interatrial septum. Cell Tissue Res. 151, 201–218 (1974). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00222223
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00222223