Ultrastructural observation of the trans-Golgi associated plate-like cisterna in the secretory cells of the rat anterior pituitary gland with special reference to the intracisternal skeleton.
A well-developed plate-like cisterna (PLC) associated with trans-Golgi elements was observed in the Golgi apparatus of secretory cells in the rat anterior pituitary gland. This structure corresponds to the trans-most sacculotubular network. The PLC maintains a remarkably uniform thickness of about 33 nm, as measured between the outer leaflets of its unit membrane structure. As to the mechanism by which this peculiar construction of the PLC is maintained, pillar-like structures were noted in the PLC intracisternal space, apparently acting as supports to keep the intermembrane distance constant. The PLC was especially well developed in hypertrophied cells such as gonadotrophs following castration. One noteworthy feature was that the PLC frequently ran parallel with the rough endoplasmic reticulum (RER), maintaining a constant distance from the latter in hypertrophied cells, but no membrane continuity between the PLC and RER was seen.
Inoue
K
K
Department of Morphology, Gunma University, Japan.
Kurosumi
K
K
D000818:Animals; D003599:Cytoskeleton / Q000648:ultrastructure; D004721:Endoplasmic Reticulum / Q000648:ultrastructure; D006056:Golgi Apparatus / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D008297:Male; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D010903:Pituitary Gland, Anterior / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains