CYTOCHEMICAL DEMOSTRATION OF SUBTYPES OF TYPE I CELLS IN THE RABBIT CAROTID BODY CHEMORECEPTOR

Abstract

Samples of carotid bodies from control and reserpinized rabbits were incubated in a sodium chromate and potassium dichromate buffer after primary glutaraldehyde fixation. Such a cytochemical staining method could show that the reserpine treatment resulted in a decrease in the electron density of the densecored vesicles to a different degree in different subtypes of Type I cells. The decrease was moderate in subtype B cells, obvious in subtype C cells, and invisible in subtype A cells. The present work offered a morphofunctional evidence for the existence of subtypes of Type I cells, and gave a hint that the different subtype cells may store different catecholamines.