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Invasive processes in the normal Harderian gland of Syrian hamster
Author(s) -
Tolivia Delio,
Uría Higinio,
Mayo Juan Carlos,
Antolín Isaac,
RodriguezColunga Ma Josefa,
MenéndezPeláez Armando
Publication year - 1996
Publication title -
microscopy research and technique
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.536
H-Index - 118
eISSN - 1097-0029
pISSN - 1059-910X
DOI - 10.1002/(sici)1097-0029(19960501)34:1<55::aid-jemt8>3.0.co;2-v
Subject(s) - harderian gland , hamster , syrian hamsters , mesocricetus , biology , anatomy , pathology , medicine , endocrinology
In this contribution we will pay special attention to several morphological findings that we can observe, under some circumstances, in the normal Harderian gland of the Syrian hamster. The accumulation of porphyrins in this gland results in mitochondrial damage and extensive cell death. Many damaged cells are secreted into the lumen of the tubule‐alveoli, but most of them seem to produce an invasive process that even affects the vascular components of the gland. In this way, many blood vessels are invaded and appear partially filled with the invasive mass, which sometimes totally occludes the lumen of the vessels. We have also observed other surprising features related to a special kind of activity in certain secretory cells. Such activity results in a peculiar “segregation” of a cytoplasmic fragment, containing the nucleus. The affected cells seem to gather up their cytoplasm and nucleus towards the basal zone, while the rest of the cell, including practically the whole amount of lipid droplets, is relegated to the vicinity of the lumen. All these phenomena seem finally to result in the detachment of some clusters, composed of a limited number of cells, which display a basophilic cytoplasm practically free of lipid droplets. © 1996 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.