Fine structure of the interrenal cell in the quail and the pigeon

Abstract

The ultrastructural characteristics of the interrenal cell were investigated in the quail and the pigeon after fixation by intravascular abdominal perfusion. There is no significant fine structural difference between cells belonging to subcapsular and central regions of the gland. The interrenal cell in both species possesses nuclear bodies, polymorphic mitochondria with tubulo-vesicular cristae and tubular crystalline inclusions, considerable amounts of endoplasmic reticulum, ergastoplasm, a well developed Golgi apparatus, coated vesicles, microtubules, filaments, cilia, ribosomes, a profusion of liposomes, dense bodies with varied inner structure, pinocytic invaginations of cell membrane and intercellular attachment devices. The pigeon adrenorcortical cell also possesses intranuclear lipidlike inclusions and fibrous bundle (this being never recorded in adrenocortical cell), annulate lamellae, and a variety of cytosomes, probably lipofucsin in nature. The significance and cytophysiological role of various organelles and inclusions have been discussed in the light of earlier data obtained on avian adrenocortical cells.