title: Mononuclear cells in the extraembryonic and intraembryonic coelom of the mouse embryo: a semithin light microscopic cytometry.
abstract: Mononuclear cells in the extraembryonic and intraembryonic spaces of mice were examined qualitatively and quantitatively by semithin light microscopy. At 9 and 10 days of gestation, the extraembryonic serous cavities contained a small number of mononuclear free cells. These cells had an elongated or kidney-shaped nucleus and the cell surface showed many villous projections. The cytoplasm occasionally contained small lucent vesicles but no phagocytic vacuoles. The average cell diameter was 8.4 +/- 0.9 microns and N-C ratio, 0.51 +/- 0.21. Cell larger than 10 microns in diameter constituted only 0.4% of the total. In vitelline vessels at 9 days, mononuclear cells bearing a close morphological resemblance to extraembryonic free cells were observed. At 12 days of gestation, extraembryonic and peritoneal cavities contained mature macrophages and a few small mononuclears which had the same morphological features as those in the extraembryonic coelom and vitelline vessels.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy, Hokkaido University School of Medicine, Sapporo, Japan.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sasaki
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Matsumura
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D005865:Gestational Age; D051379:Mice; D008815:Mice, Inbred Strains; D009000:Monocytes; D010529:Peritoneal Cavity / Q000166:cytology / Q000196:embryology*; D015017:Yolk Sac / Q000166:cytology*