Summary
Electron microscopic investigations of the pulmonary epithelium of human foetuses reveal the occurrence of cells exhibiting fine-structural characteristics of polypeptide hormone producing APUD cells. Three types of cells were identified mainly on basis of the morphology of their secretory granules. Cells of type 1 have the appearance of monoamine storing cells and the dense core of vesiculated granules of these cells are reactive to argentaffine reaction performed directly on ultra-thin sections. Cells of type 2 contain granules of uniform shape and size and of rather homogeneous appearance. Besides in larger bronchial tubules these cells are localized in the epithelium of developing alveoli. Cells of type 3 with large osmiophilic granules tightly bound by a membrane are few and scattered. These cells are observed in larger bronchial tubuli only.
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Hage, E. Electron microscopic identification of several types of endocrine cells in the bronchial epithelium of human foetuses. Z.Zellforsch 141, 401–412 (1973). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00307413
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00307413