Abstract
Large populations (up to 600/cell) of spherical, electron-opaque granules ∼0.3 to 0.4 µ in diameter are characteristically found in muscle fibers of mammalian atria. They are absent in muscle fibers of the ventricles. The granules are concentrated in the sarcoplasmic core and occur in lesser numbers in the sarcoplasmic layers between myofibrils and under the plasma membrane. Their intimate association with a central voluminous Golgi complex and the frequent occurrence of material reminiscent of the granular content within the cisternae of the Golgi complex suggest that the latter is involved in the formation of the atrial granules. Atrial granules are larger and more numerous in smaller species (rat, mouse), and generally smaller and less numerous in larger mammals (dog, cat, human); they are absent from the atrial fibers of very young fetuses (rat) but are present in those of newborn animals. A small population of bodies containing glycogen particles and remnants of the endoplasmic reticulum and mitochondria occurs in the sarcoplasmic cores of atrial as well as ventricular muscle fibers in the rat; they contain acid phosphatase and thus appear to be residual bodies of autolytic foci. Their frequency increases with the age of the animal. Typical lipofuscin pigment granules, which are known to contain acid phosphatase and are found in the sarcoplasmic cores in old animals (cat, dog and human), are presumed to arise by progressive aggregation and fusion of small residual bodies.
Full Text
The Full Text of this article is available as a PDF (2.8 MB).
Selected References
These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.
- ASHFORD T. P., PORTER K. R. Cytoplasmic components in hepatic cell lysosomes. J Cell Biol. 1962 Jan;12:198–202. doi: 10.1083/jcb.12.1.198. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- BOMPIANI G. D., ROUILLER C., HATT P. Y. [The heart conduction tissue in the rat. Study by electron microscope. I. The common trunk of the bundle of His and the clear cells of the right auricle]. Arch Mal Coeur Vaiss. 1959 Nov;52:1257–1274. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- BONTKE E., GEDIGK P. Uber den Nachweis von hydrolytischen Enzymen in Lipopigmenten. Z Zellforsch Mikrosk Anat. 1956;44(5):495–518. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- CAESAR R., EDWARDS G. A., RUSKA H. Electron microscopy of the impulse conducting system of the sheep heart. Z Zellforsch Mikrosk Anat. 1958;48(6):698–719. doi: 10.1007/BF00398655. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- CARO L. G., VAN TUBERGEN R. P., KOLB J. A. High-resolution autoradiography. I. Methods. J Cell Biol. 1962 Nov;15:173–188. doi: 10.1083/jcb.15.2.173. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- COUTEAUX R., LAURENT P. Etude au microscope électronique du coeur de l'anguille: observations sur la structure du tissu musculaire de l'oreillette et son innervation. C R Hebd Seances Acad Sci. 1957 Dec 4;245(23):2097–2100. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- FARQUHAR M. G., WISSIG S. L., PALADE G. E. Glomerular permeability. I. Ferritin transfer across the normal glomerular capillary wall. J Exp Med. 1961 Jan 1;113:47–66. doi: 10.1084/jem.113.1.47. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- FAWCETT D. W., SELBY C. C. Observations on the fine structure of the turtle atrium. J Biophys Biochem Cytol. 1958 Jan 25;4(1):63–72. doi: 10.1083/jcb.4.1.63. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- HERNDON R. M. The fine structure of the Purkinje cell. J Cell Biol. 1963 Jul;18:167–180. doi: 10.1083/jcb.18.1.167. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- 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]
- KISCH B. Electron microscopic investigations of the heart of cattle. 1. The atrium of the heart of cows. Exp Med Surg. 1959;17:247–261. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- KISCH B. Electron microscopy of the atrium of the heart. I. Guinea pig. Exp Med Surg. 1956;14(2-3):99–112. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- 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]
- MALKOFF D. B., STREHLER B. L. The ultrastructure of isolated and in situ human cardiac age pigment. J Cell Biol. 1963 Mar;16:611–616. doi: 10.1083/jcb.16.3.611. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- MOORE D. H., RUSKA H. Electron microscope study of mammalian cardiac muscle cells. J Biophys Biochem Cytol. 1957 Mar 25;3(2):261–268. doi: 10.1083/jcb.3.2.261. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- OSTLUND E., BLOOM G., ADAMS-RAY J., RITZEN M., SIEGMAN M., NORDENSTAM H., LISHAJKO F., von EULER U. Storage and release of catecholamines, and the occurrence of a specific submicroscopic granulation in hearts of cyclostomes. Nature. 1960 Oct 22;188:324–325. doi: 10.1038/188324a0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- PAASONEN M. K., KRAYER O. The release of norepinephrine from the mammalian heart by reserpine. J Pharmacol Exp Ther. 1958 Jun;123(2):153–160. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- PORTER K. R., PALADE G. E. Studies on the endoplasmic reticulum. III. Its form and distribution in striated muscle cells. J Biophys Biochem Cytol. 1957 Mar 25;3(2):269–300. doi: 10.1083/jcb.3.2.269. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- POTTER L. T., AXELROD J. Intracellular localization of catecholamines in tissues of the rat. Nature. 1962 May 12;194:581–582. doi: 10.1038/194581a0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- REVEL J. P., NAPOLITANO L., FAWCETT D. W. Identification of glycogen in electron micrographs of thin tissue sections. J Biophys Biochem Cytol. 1960 Dec;8:575–589. doi: 10.1083/jcb.8.3.575. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- 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]
- SHORE P. A., COHN V. H., Jr, HIGHMAN B., MALING H. M. Distribution of norepinephrine in the heart. Nature. 1958 Mar 22;181(4612):848–849. doi: 10.1038/181848a0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- SKILLEN R. G., THIENES C. H., STRAIN L. 5-Hydroxytryptamine, 5-hydroxytryptophan decarboxylase and monoamine oxidase in hearts of normal, thyroid-fed and propylthiouracil-fed male and female rats. Endocrinology. 1962 May;70:743–746. doi: 10.1210/endo-70-5-743. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- STREHLER B. L., MARK D. D., MILDVAN A. S. GEE MV: Rate and magnitude of age pigment accumulation in the human myocardium. J Gerontol. 1959 Oct;14:430–439. doi: 10.1093/geronj/14.4.430. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- VIRAGH S., PORTE A. [The node of Keith and Flack and the different auricular fiders of the rat heart. Study by optical and electron microscopy]. C R Hebd Seances Acad Sci. 1960 Nov 7;251:2086–2088. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]