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Dynamic ultrastructure of mouse pulmonary alveoli revealed by an in vivo cryotechnique in combination with freeze‐substitution
Author(s) -
TAKAYAMA ICHIRO,
TERADA NOBUO,
BABA TAKESHI,
UEDA HIDEHO,
FUJII YASUHISA,
KATO YASUKO,
OHNO SHINICHI
Publication year - 2000
Publication title -
journal of anatomy
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.932
H-Index - 118
eISSN - 1469-7580
pISSN - 0021-8782
DOI - 10.1046/j.1469-7580.2000.19720199.x
Subject(s) - lamellar granule , ultrastructure , in vivo , pathology , alveolar epithelium , lung , endothelium , epithelium , alveolar cells , electron microscope , vesicle , biology , microbiology and biotechnology , pulmonary surfactant , chemistry , anatomy , medicine , biochemistry , physics , membrane , optics , endocrinology
A morphological approach to cell dynamics is usually difficult, since routine preparative techniques for electron microscopy always induce artifacts due to cessation of the blood supply into organs. An in vivo cryotechnique followed by the freeze‐substitution method probably reduces such problems. It was applied for examining the pulmonary alveoli of BALB/c mice in vivo. The following ultrastructural features were revealed. (1) A surfactant layer provided a continuous covering to the alveolar epithelium. (2) Pleural epithelial cells, alveolar cells and endothelial cells contained many small vesicles and pits. In the alveolar epithelium, they were often localised near microtubules. (3) Typical lamellar structures in large alveolar epithelial cells were rarely detected. (4) Circulating erythrocytes with various shapes were observed in branching blood capillaries. (5) A close association between erythrocytes and the endothelium was seen at the peripheral alveolar septum. Such ultrastructural arrangements may be appropriate for the physiological functions of the pulmonary alveoli, such as exchanges of gases or materials in vivo.