Abstract
This is an abstract of the special presentation read at the general meeting of Japan Broncho-esophagologrical Society in 1968.
The epithelium lining of the esophagus and the trachea of higher vertebrae (human, rabbit, rat, mouse, guibea pig, cat, chicken and pigeon) was observed with light and electron microscopy. The esophageal mucous membrane is the stratified squamous epithelium consisted of basal, spindle, granular and corneal layer. Although several authors suggested that the stratified squamous epithelium of the esophagus undergoes cornification in animals that take coarse vegetable food, the relationship between the character of cornification and nature of food needs further investigations. The fine structure of keratohyalin granules found in esophageal epithelium was described in detail and morphological character of keratin located in stratum corneum was discussed. It is interesting to note that an electron dense material similar to the keratohyalin granules which attached to tonofilament, appears along the inner leaflet of the plasma membrane, and that this material seems to make thick the plasma membrane. Origin and function of membrane-coating granules (MCG) found in esophageal epithelium were described in detail
On the other hand, lining of trachea is ciliated columnar epithelium interposed by goblet cells. The ultrastructural findings of cilia, centrioles and basal body were discussed in comparison with the function of these cell organelles. The precursor body of centriol was found in the supranuclear region or near GOLGI area of the ciliated cell. Formation of this cell organelles, however, needs furthermore studies. Numerous goblet cells were scattered throughout the epithelium and the ultrastructural findings of their four functional stages were described in detail. Furthermore, several interesting cells found in tracheal epithelium, brush cell in rat, non-ciliated endoplasmic reticulum-rich cell in mouse and bat, were observed.
