0000000000256206
AUTHOR
Y. Satoh
Lack of "Synaptic" Ribbons in the Pineal Gland of BALB/c Mice
In mammalian pinealocytes "synaptic" ribbons (SR) are regularly occurring organelles that are functionally poorly understood. Since in a number of studies on the mouse pineal gland the presence of SR has not been mentioned, it was the aim of this investigation to quantitate SR in mice. BALB/c mice were chosen, which have recently been shown to have a genetic defect for melatonin synthesis. The pineals of 15 mice killed at night, when SR numbers are normally high, were examined electron microscopically, scanning an area of greater than 20,000 micron 2 per gland. In none of these pineals were SR detected. It is concluded that the lack or extreme rarity of SR in laboratory mice may be related …
Quantitative electron microscopic observations on Paneth cells of germfree and ex-germfree Wistar rats.
Ultrastructural changes of Paneth cells of germfree (Gf) rats which had been inoculated with bacteria-containing feces from conventionally-reared (SPF) rats were quantitatively examined. 12 and 24 h after inoculation, the Paneth cells showed a striking decrease in the number of secretory granules and the occurrence of large vacuoles. Phagosomes containing bacteria were not seen. After 4 days, the secretory granules reaccumulated and smooth-surfaced apical vesicles increased in number. It is discussed that the large vacuoles may be related to membrane-retrieval events following the massive extrusion of secretory granules whereas the apical vesicles appear to serve this function when exocytos…