Skip to main content
PMC home page
The Journal of Cell Biology logoLink to The Journal of Cell Biology
. 1964 Sep 1;22(3):633–652. doi: 10.1083/jcb.22.3.633

AN ELECTRON MICROSCOPE STUDY OF MATURE AND DIFFERENTIATING PANETH CELLS IN THE RAT, ESPECIALLY OF THEIR ENDOPLASMIC RETICULUM AND LYSOSOMES

O Behnke 1, H Moe 1
PMCID: PMC2106466  PMID: 14206428

Abstract

In an electron microsope study, the morphology of mature Paneth cells from the small intestine of adult rats is compared with that of differentiating Paneth cells from young rats 2 to 4 weeks old. All mature cells exhibit a marked polarity similar to that of other exocrine gland cells and contain a well developed endoplasmic reticulum, an elaborate Golgi complex, and numerous large secretory granules; they also possess an abundance of lysosomes. The most conspicuous occurrence in the process of differentiation is the development of the endoplasmic reticulum. The most immature Paneth cells possess an endoplasmic reticulum of the vesicular type, which, during maturation, is replaced by the characteristic lamellated ergastoplasm of the mature cell. At a certain stage of differentiation the cavities of the developing cisternae show numerous communications with the perinuclear space, suggesting an outgrowth of the ergastoplasm from the nuclear envelope. Furthermore, the cavities and the perinuclear space at this particular stage contain a material which shows a remarkable intrinsic periodicity. An identical periodicity was exhibited by material contained in Golgi cisternae and secretory granules. Lysosomes are also present in the differentiating cells.

Full Text

The Full Text of this article is available as a PDF (2.6 MB).

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. BARGMANN W., KNOOP A. Uber die Morphologie der Milchsekretion; lichtund elektronenmikroskopische Studien an der Milchdrüse Ratte. Z Zellforsch Mikrosk Anat. 1959;49(3):344–388. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. CLARK S. L., Jr Cellular differentiation in the kidneys of newborn mice studies with the electron microscope. J Biophys Biochem Cytol. 1957 May 25;3(3):349–362. doi: 10.1083/jcb.3.3.349. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. DUNCAN D., NALL D., MORALES R. Observations on the fine structure of old age pigment. J Gerontol. 1960 Oct;15:366–372. doi: 10.1093/geronj/15.4.366. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. ESSNER E., NOVIKOFF A. B. Human hepatocellular pigments and lysosomes. J Ultrastruct Res. 1960 Jun;3:374–391. doi: 10.1016/s0022-5320(60)90016-2. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. FARQUHAR M. G., PALADE G. E. Junctional complexes in various epithelia. J Cell Biol. 1963 May;17:375–412. doi: 10.1083/jcb.17.2.375. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. FAWCETT D. W., ITO S. Observations on the cytoplasmic membranes of testicular cells, examined by phase contrast and electron microscopy. J Biophys Biochem Cytol. 1958 Mar 25;4(2):135–142. doi: 10.1083/jcb.4.2.135. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. FAWCETT D. W. Observations on the cytology and electron microscopy of hepatic cells. J Natl Cancer Inst. 1955 Apr;15(5 Suppl):1475–1503. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. GODMAN G. C., PORTER K. R. Chondrogenesis, studied with the electron microscope. J Biophys Biochem Cytol. 1960 Dec;8:719–760. doi: 10.1083/jcb.8.3.719. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. HALLY A. D. The fine structure of the Paneth cell. J Anat. 1958 Apr;92(2):268–277. [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. HAY E. D. The fine structure of blastema cells and differentiating cartilage cells in regenerating limbs of Amblystoma larvae. J Biophys Biochem Cytol. 1958 Sep 25;4(5):583–591. doi: 10.1083/jcb.4.5.583. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. KARNOVSKY M. J. Simple methods for "staining with lead" at high pH in electron microscopy. J Biophys Biochem Cytol. 1961 Dec;11:729–732. doi: 10.1083/jcb.11.3.729. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. LEBLOND C. P., MESSIER B. Renewal of chief cells and goblet cells in the small intestine as shown by radioautography after injection of thymidine-H3 into mice. Anat Rec. 1958 Nov;132(3):247–259. doi: 10.1002/ar.1091320303. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. LUFT J. H. Improvements in epoxy resin embedding methods. J Biophys Biochem Cytol. 1961 Feb;9:409–414. doi: 10.1083/jcb.9.2.409. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. MILLER F. Hemoglobin absorption by the cells of the proximal convoluted tubule in mouse kidney. J Biophys Biochem Cytol. 1960 Dec;8:689–718. doi: 10.1083/jcb.8.3.689. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. NOVIKOFF A. B., ESSNER E. Pathological changes in cytoplasmic organelles. Fed Proc. 1962 Nov-Dec;21:1130–1142. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. PALADE G. E. Intracisternal granules in the exocrine cells of the pancreas. J Biophys Biochem Cytol. 1956 Jul 25;2(4):417–422. doi: 10.1083/jcb.2.4.417. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  17. PALADE G. E. Studies on the endoplasmic reticulum. II. Simple dispositions in cells in situ. J Biophys Biochem Cytol. 1955 Nov 25;1(6):567–582. doi: 10.1083/jcb.1.6.567. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  18. PARKS H. F. Unusual formations of ergastoplasm in parotid acinous cells of mice. J Cell Biol. 1962 Aug;14:221–234. doi: 10.1083/jcb.14.2.221. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  19. RHODIN J., DALHAMN T. Electron microscopy of the tracheal ciliated mucosa in rat. Z Zellforsch Mikrosk Anat. 1956;44(4):345–412. doi: 10.1007/BF00345847. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  20. RYTER A., KELLENBERGER E. L'inclusion au polyester pour l'ultramicrotomie. J Ultrastruct Res. 1958 Dec;2(2):200–214. doi: 10.1016/s0022-5320(58)90018-2. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  21. SABATINI D. D., BENSCH K., BARRNETT R. J. Cytochemistry and electron microscopy. The preservation of cellular ultrastructure and enzymatic activity by aldehyde fixation. J Cell Biol. 1963 Apr;17:19–58. doi: 10.1083/jcb.17.1.19. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  22. SELZMAN H. M., LIEBELT R. A. A cytochemical analysis of Paneth cell secretion in the mouse. Anat Rec. 1961 May;140:17–22. doi: 10.1002/ar.1091400103. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  23. SELZMAN H. M., LIEBELT R. A. Paneth cell granule of mouse intestine. J Cell Biol. 1962 Oct;15:136–139. doi: 10.1083/jcb.15.1.136. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  24. SIEKEVITZ P., PALADE G. E. A cytochemical study on the pancreas of the guinea pig. II. Functional variations in the enzymatic activity of microsomes. J Biophys Biochem Cytol. 1958 May 25;4(3):309–318. doi: 10.1083/jcb.4.3.309. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  25. TRIER J. S. STUDIES ON SMALL INTESTINAL CRYPT EPITHELIUM. I. THE FINE STRUCTURE OF THE CRYPT EPITHELIUM OF THE PROXIMAL SMALL INTESTINE OF FASTING HUMANS. J Cell Biol. 1963 Sep;18:599–620. doi: 10.1083/jcb.18.3.599. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  26. WATSON M. L. Staining of tissue sections for electron microscopy with heavy metals. J Biophys Biochem Cytol. 1958 Jul 25;4(4):475–478. doi: 10.1083/jcb.4.4.475. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  27. ZEIGEL R. F., DALTON A. J. Speculations based on the morphology of the Golgi systems in several types of proteinsecreting cells. J Cell Biol. 1962 Oct;15:45–54. doi: 10.1083/jcb.15.1.45. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from The Journal of Cell Biology are provided here courtesy of The Rockefeller University Press

RESOURCES