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The zinc-iodide-osmium reactive sites in the sensory epithelia of the frog labyrinth

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Journal of Neurocytology

Summary

In the sensory epithelia of the vestibular system of the frog,Rana temporaria, the zinc-iodide-osmium stain reacts in the sensory cells with mitochondria, multivesicular bodies, lysosomes, coated vesicles, the smooth endoplasmic reticulum, the vesicles surrounding the synaptic bars and large numbers of morphologically similar vesicles scattered throughout the cytoplasm. In supporting cells positive reactions are given by mitochondria, multivesicular bodies, a few vesicles and areas of cytoplasm. Reactive sites in nerve fibres are the synaptic vesicles, mitochondria and the smooth endoplasmic reticulum. Certain regions of the Schwann-cell cytoplasm and myelin sheath of myelinated nerve fibres are also reactive.

Energy dispersive X-ray microanalysis (EMMA-4) shows that the zinc-iodide-osmium stain is composed mainly of osmium with possibly a trace amount of zinc. Iodine is not shown to be present.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Zoology and Comparative Physiology, University of Birmingham, Birmingham 15

    M. P. Osborne & R. A. Thornhill

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  1. M. P. Osborne
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  2. R. A. Thornhill
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Osborne, M.P., Thornhill, R.A. The zinc-iodide-osmium reactive sites in the sensory epithelia of the frog labyrinth. J Neurocytol 3, 459–470 (1974). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01098733

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01098733

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