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Studies of adrenocortical ultrastructure

2. The interrenal cell of the domestic fowl as seen after glutaraldehyde perfusion fixation

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Summary

The ultrastructural features of interrenal cells derived from the normal domestic fowl are described. The interrenal cells, like other steroid-producing cells, contain more smoothsurfaced endoplasmic reticulum than the granular variety, and accommodate mitochondria with tubular inner structure. Other cytoplasmic structures are lipid droplets, dense bodies and the Golgi apparatus. The following structures were demonstrated for the first time in the avian adrenocortical cell:intramitochondrial crystallized tubules and intramatrical lipid-like droplets, cytoplasmic microtubules and filaments, cilia, both free and intracytoplasmic; nuclear bodies and intranuclear lipid-like inclusions; and attachment devices, often combined with mortisetenon joints. Likewise, this study demonstrated for the first time the polarity of the interrenal cells of the fowl. These rest on a basal lamina and accommodate the majority of lipid droplets at the basal (vascular) pole, and the Golgi apparatus, dense bodies and attachment devices at the apical pole. Due to the uniform fixation of the entire organ obtained in this investigation, the present work has provided a useful base line for subsequent investigations concerning adrenal physiology and pathology (Kjaerheim, 1968b, c).

Zusammenfassung

Die Ultrastruktur der Interrenalzellen des Huhns wird beschrieben. Die interrenalen Zellen enthalten, wie andere Steroid-produzierende Zellen, mehr glattes endoplasmatisches Reticulum als die granuläre Form und Mitochondrien mit tubulärer Innenstruktur. Andere zytoplasmatische Strukturen sind Lipidtropfen, Dense Bodies und Golgi-Apparat. Folgende Strukturen wurden erstmals in der Vogelnebenniere nachgewiesen: Intramitochondriale kristallisierte Tubuli und Lipid-ähnliche Tröpfchen in der Mitochondrienmatrix, zytoplasmatische Mikrotubuli, Filamente und Zilien, sowohl frei als auch intrazytoplasmatisch gelegen, ferner Sphäridien und intranukleäre Lipid-ähnliche Einschlüsse sowie Haftapparate, oft kombiniert mit komplizierten zytoplasmatischen Ein- und Ausstülpungen. Ebenfalls erstmalig zeigt diese Arbeit die Polarität der Interrenalzellen des Huhns. Diese befinden sich auf einer Basalmembran und enthalten die meisten Fetttröpfchen am basalen (vaskulären) Pol und Golgi-Apparat, Dense Bodies und Haftapparate am apikalen Pol. Dank der gleichmäßigen Fixation des gesamten Organs wurde eine Grundlage für spätere Untersuchungen der Physiologie und Pathologie der Nebenniere geliefert.

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  1. Departments of Pathological Anatomy, Faculties of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Oslo, Norway

    Åsmund Kjaerheim

  2. Odontologisk Institutt for Anatomi, Blindem, Oslo 3, Norwegen

    Åsmund Kjaerheim

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Kjaerheim, Å. Studies of adrenocortical ultrastructure. Z.Zellforsch 91, 429–455 (1968). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00440769

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