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Morphology of the Harderian gland of the Gecko, Tarentola mauritanica
Author(s) -
Chieffi Baccari Gabriella,
Chieffi Giovanni,
Di Matteo Loredana,
Dafnis Demetrio,
De Rienzo Gianluca,
Minucci Sergio
Publication year - 2000
Publication title -
journal of morphology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.652
H-Index - 74
eISSN - 1097-4687
pISSN - 0362-2525
DOI - 10.1002/(sici)1097-4687(200005)244:2<137::aid-jmor4>3.0.co;2-o
Subject(s) - harderian gland , biology , apocrine , ultrastructure , connective tissue , gecko , anatomy , lipid droplet , cytoplasm , secretion , microbiology and biotechnology , endocrinology , zoology , genetics
ABSTRACT The Harderian gland of the gecko, Tarentola mauritanica , was studied at the histological, histochemical, and ultrastructural levels. It is a nonlobate compound acinar gland surrounded by a thin capsule of connective tissue. Numerous connective tissue‐type mast cells, ultrastructurally similar to those described in other higher vertebrates, were identified in the interstitial tissue between the acini. Pyramidal or columnar‐shaped secretory glandular cells were observed in the acini. In the glandular cells, two types of structures could be distinguished on the basis of their high or low electron density. Lipid droplets were found in the cytoplasm of the Harderian gland of both sexes. Histochemical tests showed that the Harderian gland of the gecko is a seromucous gland. The secretion is essentially merocrine, although an apocrine type of secretion is sometimes observed. J. Morphol. 244:137–142, 2000. © 2000 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.