Age-related changes of the granular intercalated duct cells of male rat submandibular gland.
The granular intercalated duct (GID) cells showed a progressive increase in number from two to four months of age (p less than 0.01). Their secretory granules also increased in number. Among all the age groups (2-22 months), the number of the GID cells in submandibular gland was highest of six months; they were then also most conspicuous with many electron-dense secretory granules in the cytoplasm. From 12 to 22 months, they showed regressive changes such as a decrease in cell number and in the number of secretory granules. The significance of these age-related changes of the GID cells is unknown.
Sashima
M
M
Department of Oral Pathology, School of Dentistry, Iwate Medical University, Morioka, Japan.
Hatakeyama
S
S
Satoh
M
M
Suzuki
A
A
D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology*; D000818:Animals; D003594:Cytoplasmic Granules / Q000648:ultrastructure; D008297:Male; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D013363:Submandibular Gland / Q000502:physiology* / Q000648:ultrastructure