Summary
Electron microscopical localisation of the cell coat mucosubstances in the rat subcommissural organ was studied with the Alcian blue (AB), Ruthenium red (RR) and Lanthanum nitrate (LN) methods.
Alcian blue stains deeply a layer which extends over apical plasmalemma, cilia and microvilli. An alcianophilic membrane covering these apical differentiations is also observed. It would appear that this membrane and the AB-positive layer participate in the formation of Reissner's fibre which is also alcianophilic. The cytoplasmic matrix of rarely found degenerating apical parts or whole ependymal cells is strongly AB-stained.
Ruthenium red reveals positively stained granules at the apical plasmalemma of ependymal cells, microvilli, and within and at the surface of Reissner's fibre. Periodic structures like epithelial and capillary basal membranes show minute RR deposits.
Lanthanum positive material is mainly located intercellularly between hypendymal cells and between basal parts of ependymal cells. The periodic structures are also strongly LN-positive. Epithelial and capillary basal membranes are irregularly stained.
Our observations suggest that apical segregation or holocrine disintegration of the alcianophilic ependymal cells is responsible for the formation of the AB-positive material. The origin of the RR- and LN-positive materials remains obscure.
Zusammenfassung
Im Subcommissuralorgan der Ratte wurde die Glykokalyx der Zellen mit der Alcianblau (AB)-, Rutheniumrot (RR)- und Lanthannitratmethode elektronenmikroskopisch untersucht.
Mit Alcianblau wird eine das apikale Plasmalemm, die Zilien und die Mikrovilli bedeckende, sehr elektronendichte Schicht dargestellt. Über den Zilien und Mikrovilli wird eine zweite stark acianophile Hülle beschrieben, die anscheinend an der Bildung des alcianophilen Reissnerschen Fadens beteiligt ist. Starke Alcianophilie zeigt die cytoplasmatische Matrix der selten vorkommenden degenerierten Zellen bzw. der apikalen Zellteile.
Mit Rutheniumrot werden auf dem apikalen Plasmalemm der Ependymzellen, den Mikrovilli, auf der Oberfläche und im Innern des Reissnerschen Fadens RR-positive Schollen beobachtet. Die „periodisch strukturierten Körper“, Epithel- und Kapillarbasalmembranen zeigen kleine Rutheniumrot Niederschläge.
Lanthannitrat-positives Material ist hauptsächlich zwischen den Hypendymzellen und basalen Ependymzellteilen lokalisiert. Die „periodisch strukturierten Körper“ reagieren intensiv mit Lanthannitrat. Epithel- und Kapillarbasalmembranen erscheinen unregelmäßig gefärbt.
Unsere Befunde sprechen dafür, daß das AB-positive Material durch apikale Abstoßung bzw. holokrine Auflösung der alcianohpilen Zellen entstehen kann. Der Ursprung des RR- und LN-positiven Materials ist unbekannt.
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Kristić, R. Ultrastrukturelle Lokalisation von Mukosubstanzen der Zellhülle im Subcommissuralorgan der Ratte. Z.Zellforsch 139, 237–252 (1973). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00306524
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00306524