ISSN:
1432-0568
Keywords:
Electron microscopy
;
Mesonephric duct
;
Fetus
;
Glycogen
;
Human development
Source:
Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
Topics:
Medicine
Notes:
Summary Human mesonephric duct epithelial cells contained empty appearing regions in the infranuclear cytoplasm when prepared for transmission electron microscopy using glutaraldehyde and osmium fixation. The same regions stained positively with PAS in Epon sections for light microscopy suggesting that glycogen was present. Incubation with saliva abolished the reaction. For electron microscopy the glycogen stained very intensely if a mixture of osmium tetroxide and potassium ferrocyanide was used instead of osmium alone. Glycogen accumulations were present between the ages of 5 to 10 weeks and absent at the age of 15 weeks. Reports by others indicate that glycogen may be present in different reactive forms in relation to its staining behaviour after various fixatives. The present results, and similar studies in other tissues, indicate that osmium tetroxide-potassium ferrocyanide fixative should be used routinely for preservation of embryos and fetuses and where indicated, for ultrastructural identification of glycogen and cytoplasmic filaments in clinical specimens.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/BF00304280
