Scanning and transmission electron microscopy of the subfornical organ of the grass frog (Rana pipiens)

The ventricular surface of the subfornical organ of the frog is made up of ependymal cells with numerous apical microvilli, occasional cytoplasmic protrusions and many vacuoles projecting into the lumen of the third ventricle. Between these cells dendrites of cerebrospinal fluid-contacting neurons r...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Cell and tissue research 1978-01, Vol.186 (2), p.361-374
Main Author: Dellmann, H D
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animals
Anura
Axons - ultrastructure
Capillaries - ultrastructure
Dendrites - ultrastructure
Ependyma - ultrastructure
Macrophages - ultrastructure
Microscopy, Electron
Microscopy, Electron, Scanning
Neuroglia - ultrastructure
Neurons - ultrastructure
Neurosecretory Systems - ultrastructure
Rana pipiens - anatomy & histology
Subfornical Organ - ultrastructure
Vacuoles - ultrastructure
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Summary:The ventricular surface of the subfornical organ of the frog is made up of ependymal cells with numerous apical microvilli, occasional cytoplasmic protrusions and many vacuoles projecting into the lumen of the third ventricle. Between these cells dendrites of cerebrospinal fluid-contacting neurons reach the ventricle to terminate in bulbous enlargements. In addition, flask-shaped encephalo-chromaffin cells, containing granulated vesicles and aggregates of filaments in their cytoplasm, project into the cerebrospinal fluid. Surrounding the centrally located capillaries are enlarged dendrites and axons of heterogeneous morphology, some of which appear to originate within the subfornical organ, intermingled with dendrites and axons of normal structure. The glial cells in this region, especially the microglial cells, often contain large lipofuscin inclusions, suggestive of degeneration and subsequent phagocytosis of some of the enlarged dendrites and axons. The normally scarce neurosecretory peptidergic axons become more evident and form typical Herring bodies in stalk-transected animals. Neuronal perikarya of varying morphology are predominantly located peripheral to the region of enlarged dendrites and axons. Supraependymal macrophages are particularly numerous on the subfornical organ.
ISSN:0302-766X
1432-0878
DOI:10.1007/BF00225544