The histology of the paraphysis of Amblystoma

The paraphysis of adult Amblystoma is made up of low columnar ependymal epithelit m which forms the paraphyseal tubules which end blindly and which communicate with one another by a common mouth with the third ventricle. Between the paraphyseal tubules venous sinusoids anastomose freely with one another forming a complicated rete. The sinusoids are made up entirely of endothelium. The blood supply to the paraphysis is entirely venous. Mitochondria were found in great abundance in the paraphysis of one female just previous to laying. Other specimens showed very few present. No conclusions can be drawn from these few observations as to the relationship between physiological activity and cellular structures. The Golgi apparatus was observed definitely localized between the nucleus and the ventricular end of the cell. Many large crystalloids were also observed to be localized between the nucleus and the ventricular end of the cell. Intercellular spaces are readily observed in sections stained with Mallory's connective tissue stain. Nassonow's osmic acid technique for the Golgi apparatus and Benda's crystal violet and alizarin stain clearly bring out the intercellular canals. Acid fuchsin stained particles within the intercellular spaces are more abundant toward the sinusoids than the cavities of the paraphyseal tubules. The intercellular canals have not been seen to communicate with either the sinusoids or the cavities of the paraphyseal tubules in any of the preparations observed.