Ultrastructure of the renal corpuscle of Testudo graeca (Chelonia). A comparison between hibernating and non-hibernating animals.
The renal corpuscle of hibernating and non-hibernating Testudo graeca was studied by means of light and electron microscopy. Renal corpuscles are small and have a glomerular architecture similar to that found in other vertebrates with a limited glomerular filtration rate. In hibernating animals, unlike non-hibernating, some morphological changes took place. The cells of the renal corpuscle were densely packed, podocytes and parietal cells showed a marked cytoplasmic vacuolization, there was a highly developed capillary basement membrane and the endothelial and mesangial cells showed abundant dense granules. These morphological features apparently correspond to a vacuolar degeneration. They may also be the morphological basis of the decrease in the glomerular filtration rate observed during this period.
Zuasti
A
A
Department of Histology, School of Medicine, Murcia, Spain.
Ferrer
C
C
Ballesta
J
J
Pastor
L M
LM
D000818:Animals; D001485:Basement Membrane / Q000648:ultrastructure; D002196:Capillaries / Q000648:ultrastructure; D003593:Cytoplasm / Q000648:ultrastructure; D006605:Hibernation; D007678:Kidney Glomerulus / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D012104:Reptiles / Q000033:anatomy & histology*