Figure 3.

The connective tissue in between the lobules contains Tps around the large blood vessels, releasing extracellular vesicles and their tortuous processes, and beads on a string and close connections around the bend with blood vessels and the acinus can be observed. (A). Tps in the vicinity of blood vessels and adjacent to the acinus, scattered around and showing large prolongation. Square-marked areas 1, 2, and 3 in (A) are enlarged in (B,C,D), respectively. (B) Long cell process (Tp₁, Tp₂), and close connections (junctions) between podoms to podomers and adjacent to the acinus. (C) In the vicinity of a dilated segment of Tp₁, rough endoplasmic reticulum, mitochondria, dense bodies, vesicles, and close connections (podoms–podomers) with Tp₁ (white arrow) are visible. EVs (arrowheads) are present in connective tissue. (D) Tps contain a tortuous process, with many twists (beaded-like) (black arrows), along with collagen fibers and the acinus. Tp, telopodes; BV, blood vessel; SM, smooth muscle cells; En, endothelial cells; AC, acinus; CF, collagen fibers; V, vesicles; CC, close connection; Tt, tortuous; m, mitochondria; rER, rough endoplasmic reticulum; db, dense body. Scale bar = 4 µm in (A); scale bar = 1 µm in (B–D).