Abstract
The intercellular junction was observed in urodeal and Phallic epithelial cells of the guinea fowl, Numida meleagris, by the ultra-thin section and the freeze-fracture methods to clarify the pathway of a lymph-like fluid produced by capillaries. Only desmosomes were found between cells of the stratified squamous epithelium covering the tips of paired lateral phallic bodies. The proximal portion of the lateral phallic body and the urodeum were lined with stratified and pseudostratified columnar epithelia containing numerous mucin-secreting cells. The columnar epithelial cells were linked with junctional complexes and cytoplasmic interdigitations. Half-desmosomes connected cells of the epithelial basal stratum with the basement membrane. The zonula occludens was well developed among mucin-secreting cells, but underdeveloped among columnar epithelial cells. When these junctions were examined in freeze-fracture replicas, the zonula occludens of the mucin-secreting cell exhibited a very distinct network of branching and joining strands. This type of tight junctions appeared to serve as a barrier to prevent lymph from diffusing by the intercellular route. On the other hand, the underdeveloped zonula occludens of the columnar epithelial cell was of incomplete reticular pattern in membrane fusion. It was suggested that the lymph produced by blood and lymph capillaries might be able to pass through the epithelium to play a part in dilution of the ejaculated semen.
