A comparison of the structure of granular cell type in the intestinal epithelium of the camel with paneth cellsof the rabbit

Abstract

The epithelium of the small intestine of the camel and rabbit was examined with both the light and electron microscope. Typical short pyramidal Paneth cells were found in the base of the intestinal crypts of the rabbit. They were characterized by apically-situated, large (1.65 cm) spherical, eosinophilic cytoplasmic granules. Electro;] microscopy revealed electron-dense apical granules and many basally-located cisternae of rough endoplasmic reticulum (rER). In the intestinal epithelium of the camel, typical Paneth cells were not identified in haematoxylin and eosin or safranin-stained sections. Granule-containing cells were, however. easily identified in toluidine blue-stained semi-thin sections, and under the elec-tron microscope. They resembled Paneth cells in that they were confined to the intestinal crypts and characterized by apical cytoplasmic granules. They differed from Paneth cells of the rabbit and other mammals in several aspects. They were tall columnar cells with small (0.44 urn) apical cytoplasmic granules and a few basally-situated cisternae of rER.