ISSN:
0003-276X
Keywords:
Life and Medical Sciences
;
Cell & Developmental Biology
Source:
Wiley InterScience Backfile Collection 1832-2000
Topics:
Medicine
Notes:
There is wide support for the concept that there are two types of secretory cells in adrenal medulla of various species. One cell is filled with electron dense bodies believed to contain norepinephrine; the other cell's lesser stained bodies contain epinephrine. This differential density may be seen by fixation in osmium tetroxide after glutaraldehyde.The two cell types have not been clearly shown in human tissues. Such a failure may be related to fixation. In consideration of this, fresh human adrenal was fixed in cold 1% glutaraldehyde, then 1% osmium tetroxide - a procedure known to give satisfactory differentiation in other species. A parallel study with rat tissue was then done.Electron microscopy revealed two types of cells in rats, while in man an obvious cell difference was not found. There is, however, a clear difference in human chromaffin granule density, which implies that the human cells have random numbers of both light and dark granules. The morphologic difference of the cell types in man may be less distinct than in the rat. Another possibility is that in cells with predominantly dark granules, there are co-mingled lighter granules with the coexistence of cells of opposite dominance. Both hormones then would occur in the same cell in varying proportions according to functional demand. It seems highly unlikely that two distinct cell types would have been overlooked with wide sampling, however, in a study of three adrenal glands, one cannot rule out their existence.
Additional Material:
8 Ill.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/ar.1091690204
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