Cyto-morphological Study on M, leprae Inoculated and Grown in the Mouse Foot-pads

Abstract

Dynamic investigations of M. leprae inoculated and grown in mouse foot-pads were studied in cyto-morphological method at the ultrastructural level. In the experimentally infected mouse foot-pads, the large electron dense- and homo- genous-bodies were frequently found outside the bacilli, and the small electron-dense granules were observed in these bodies. These observations might show the pleomorphism of M. leprae, and the L-form theory was adopted for explaining about the existence of the granules above mentioned. These bodies and/or granules were never found in normal mouse foot-pads.