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Fine structural study of a possible mechanism of secretion by the interrenal cells of the brown pelican

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Summary

In the deeper zones of the adrenal gland of the brown pelican, small dense bodies have been observed in the subendothelial space and between adjacent interrenal cells. They appear to be extruded from the interrenal cell by reverse pinocytosis. Intracellularly, similar appearing dense bodies, bounded by a single membrane, are sometimes evident. An interpretation of the foregoing is presented and discussed which suggests that this material may be hormone which is synthesized or organized into droplet form by the agranular endoplasmic reticulum and extruded from the cell either apically or apico-laterally, to be dispersed or rendered soluble in the subendothelial space.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Anatomy, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, USA

    W. D. Belt, M. N. Sheridan, R. A. Knouff & F. A. Hartman

  2. Department of Anatomy, Medical College of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia, USA

    W. D. Belt, M. N. Sheridan, R. A. Knouff & F. A. Hartman

  3. Department of Anatomy and Department of Physiology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA

    W. D. Belt, M. N. Sheridan, R. A. Knouff & F. A. Hartman

Authors
  1. W. D. Belt
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  2. M. N. Sheridan
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  3. R. A. Knouff
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  4. F. A. Hartman
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Additional information

Supported in part by the Comly Fund of the Ohio State University, by Grant AM 09658-01 from the National Institute of Arthritis and Metabolic Diseases, National Institutes of Health and Grant DT-8 from the National Institute of Dental Research.

Deceased January, 1965.

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Belt, W.D., Sheridan, M.N., Knouff, R.A. et al. Fine structural study of a possible mechanism of secretion by the interrenal cells of the brown pelican. Zeitschrift für Zellforschung 68, 864–873 (1965). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00343937

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00343937

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