Summary
The lungs of Triturus alpestris Laur. were investigated with the scanning and transmission electron microscopes. Dimensions of the cell bodies of pneumocytes and ciliated cells, as well as the thickness of the air-blood barrier, were determined. The lungs of the newt form two simple sacs without septa. A ciliated epithelium containing goblet cells lines the pulmonary vein and partially the pulmonary artery. The remainder of the lung surface is covered internally by respiratory epithelium consisting of one type of cell and only occasionally showing the presence of single ciliated cells. All cells, ciliated, goblet and pneumocytes, contain in their cytoplasm lamellar bodies. Multivesicular bodies and numerous vesicles of variable electron density also occur in the cytoplasm of pneumocytes. Atypical mitochondria can be found in all cell types of the lung. Fixation with addition of tannic acid reveals the surface lining film. Tubular myelin figures were not observed.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Callas, G., De Groot, W.J.: Lamellar transformation from type II pneumocyte mitochondria in rat lung. Anat. Rec. 184, 369 (1976)
Czopek, J.: Quantitative studies on the morphology of respiratory surfaces in amphibians. Acta Anat. (Basel) 62, 296–323 (1965)
Godula, J.: Intramitochondrial complexes of atypical structures in hepatocytes of Triturus alpestris (Laurenti). Experientia 28, 453–455 (1972)
Goniakowska-Witalińska, L.: Ultrastructural and morphometric study of the lung of the European salamander Salamandra salamandra. Cell Tissue Res. 191, 343–356 (1978)
Goniakowska-Witalinska, L.: Ultrastructural and morphometric changes in the lung of newt, Triturus cristatus cranifex Laur. during ontogeny. J. Anat. (1979) in press
Hall, J.D., Crane, F.L.: An intracristal structure in beef heart mitochondria. Exptl. Cell Res. 62, 480–483 (1970)
Hanzlikova, V., Schiaffmo, S.: Mitochondrial changes in ischemic skeletal muscle. J. Ultrastruct. Res. 60, 121–133 (1977)
Hightower, J.A., Burke, J.D., Haar, J.L.: A light and electron microscopic study of the respiratory epithelium of the adult aquatic newt, Notophthalmus viridescens. Can. J. Zool. 53, 465–472 (1975)
Hughes, G.M.: Ultrastructure of the air-breathing organs of some lower vertebrates. 7e Congress Internat, de Microscopie Electronique 3, pp. 599–600. Grenoble, 1970
Hughes, G.M., Weibel, E.R.: Visualization of layers lining the lung of South American lungfish (Lepidosiren paradoxa) and a comparison with the frog and rat. Tissue and Cell 10, 343–353 (1978)
Kalina, M., Pease, D.C.: The preservation of ultrastructure in saturated phosphatidyl cholines by tannic acid in model systems and type II pneumocytes. J. Cell Biol. 74, 726–741 (1977a)
Kalina, M., Pease, D.C.: The probable role of phosphatidyl cholines in the tannic acid enhancement of cytomembrane electron contrast. J. Cell Biol. 74, 742–746 (1977b)
Meban, C.: Ultrastructure of the respiratory epithelium in the lungs of the newt Triturus cristatus. Acta Zool. (Stockh.) 58, 151–156 (1977)
Meban, C.: An electron microscope study of the respiratory epithelium in the lungs of the fire salamander (Salamandra salamandra). J. Anat. 128, 215–221 (1979)
Newcomb, E.H., Steer, M.W., Hepler, P.K., Wergin, W.P.: An atypical crista resembling a “tight junction” in bean root mitochondria. J. Cell Biol. 39, 35–42 (1968)
Noaillac-Depeyre, J., Gas, J.: Ultrastructural and cytochemical study of the gastric epithelium in a fresh water teleostean fish (Perca fluviatilis). Tissue and Cell 10, 23–37 (1978)
Okada, Y., Ishiko, S., Daido, S., Kim, J., Ikeda, S.: Comparative morphology of the lung with special reference to the alveolar cells. I. Lung of the Amphibia. Acta Tuberculosea Japonica 11, 63–72 (1962)
Pattle, R.E., Schock, C., Creasey, J.M., Hughes, G.M.: Surpellic films lung surfactant, and their cellular origin in newt, caecilian and frog. J. Zool. Lond. 182, 125–136 (1977)
Perry, S.F.: Model of exchange barrier and respiratory surface area in the lung of the tortoise (Testudo graeca) and its practical application. Mikroskopie 32, 282–293 (1976)
Richardson, K.C., Jarret, L.J., Finke, E.H.: Embedding in epoxy resins for ultrathin sectioning in electron microscopy. Stain Technol. 35, 313–323 (1960)
Sorokin, S.P.: Histochemistry in embryonic lungs. In: Neonatal respiratory adaptation, pp. 79–93 (T.K. Oliver, Jr., ed.). U.S. Publ. Health Service, Publ. No. 1432 (1963)
Sorokin, S.P.: A morphological and cytochemical study on the great alveolar cell. J. Histochem. Cytochem. 14, 884–898 (1966)
Sperry, D.G., Wassersug, R.J.: A proposed function for microridges on epithelial cells. Anat. Rec. 185, 253–258 (1976)
Stratton, C.J.: The ultrastructure of multilamellar bodies and surfactant in the human lung. Cell Tissue Res. 193, 219–229 (1978)
Takahashi, G.: OsO4-tannin-OsO4 method for transmission and scanning electron microscopy of biological specimens. 9th Internat. Congress on Electron Microscopy 2, pp. 56–57, Toronto (1978)
Valdivia, E., Berger, J.E.: Atypical electron microscope structures in liver mitochondria. Path. Microbiol. 39, 112–114 (1973)
Weibel, E.R., Palade, G.E.: New cytoplasmic components in arterial endothelia. J. Cell Biol. 23, 101–112 (1964)
Weibel, E.R.: Morphological basis of alveolar-capillary gas exchange. Physiol. Rev. 53, 419–495 (1973)
Whitford, W.G., Hutchison, V.H.: Gas exchange in salamanders. Physiol. Zool. 38, 228–242 (1965)
Willnow, I.: Die Lunge von Amphiuma means means. I. Mitteilung: Morphologie. Zool. Beiträge 10, 29–85 (1964)
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Goniakowska-Witalińska, L. Scanning and transmission electron microscopic study of the lung of the newt, Triturus alpestris Laur.. Cell Tissue Res. 205, 133–145 (1980). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00234449
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00234449