Summary
An ultrastructural and stereological examination was performed on stomach smooth muscle of the salamander Amphiuma. This tissue has very large cells, ranging up to 12×1500 μm when relaxed. The extracellular space is 31% of the tissue volume, and the tissue contains 84.6% water. These values are similar to those of other amphibian and mammalian gastrointestinal smooth muscle. The cells possess the usual smooth muscle organelles. Thick, thin and intermediate filaments are present, along with membrane-associated and cytoplasmic dense regions. There is a well-developed sarcoplasmic reticulum and many microtubules. Caveolae are found in rows along the cellular surface; the caveolae increase the cellular surface area by about 70%. The ratio mean volume: surface area of the cells is 1.26 μm. This tissue appears to be typical of gastrointestinal smooth muscle, with the exception of the very large size of the cells.
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We would like to thank Dr. Laz Mandel, in whose lab the PEG experiments were performed, and Steve Soltoff, who helped with those experiments. Thanks are also due to Dr. Peter Lauf for use of his beta counter. This project was supported by NIH grants F32 AM 05926 and AM 27819.
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Heidlage, J.F., Anderson, N.C. Ultrastructure and morphometry of the stomach muscle of Amphiuma tridactylum . Cell Tissue Res. 236, 393–397 (1984). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00214243
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00214243