An Electron Microscopic Observation on RE-cells of the Rat Adrenal Cortex with Respect to the Nature of Lipid Globules

Abstract

An experimental study was made on the fine structure of RE-cells and lipid droplets in the adrenal cortex of albino rat. The results obtained were as follows: 1) Ultrastructure of lipid globules in the adrenocortical cells was well preserved by the use of polyethylene glycol for the procedure of dehydration and the finding was different with zoning of the cortex. 2) The capillary endothelia in the adrenal cortex showed only slight ability of phagocytosis and sequently should be excluded from RES. 3) Certain mesenchymal cells locating in the subendothelial and intercellular spaces of the parenchym showed distinct evidence of phagocytosis. These cells were named pericytes in this investigation. 4) The pericytes were frequently loaded with lipid droplets. The fine structure of them resembled that in the parenchymal cells of the zona fasciculata, but they were distinguished from each other by the different combination of fixation and embedment.