Polysaccharide synthesized from glucose-1-phosphate in the nuclei of various cells in the normal rat retina was studied by electron microscope and the polysaccharide synthesizing method of Takeuchi and his co-workers.
Synthesized polysaccharide was found only in the nucleus of Müller's cells, and not in the nuclei of any other cells, such as receptor, bipolar, horizontal, amacrine cells or astrocytes.
Newly formed polysaccharide particles were located in the karyolymph of Müller's cells and had no relation to the nucleoli, chromatin or nuclear membrane. These particles appeared as fine granular form, about 700Å in diameter which were composed of subunits about 160Å in diameter and seemed to be less stainable with lead citrate than native glycogen.
There was no evidence that synthesized polysaccharide in the nucleus was removed from the cytoplasm. The present study indicates that the nuclei of some cells have the capacity for polysaccharide synthesis.