Adrenomedullary chromaffin cells of the rat. An ultrastructural study.
Adrenomedullary chromaffin cells of the rat were studied at the ultrastructural level. Chromaffin cells contained a large population of electron-dense-core vesicles of two types, one very electron-dense (norepinephrine) and the other moderately electron-dense (epinephrine). The vesicles showed an even distribution pattern in the cytoplasmic matrix. No physical contacts were observed between cytoplasmic and vesicle membranes to indicate exocytosis, a mechanism frequently observed in the hamster. For chromaffin cells to be used as a transplantable source of dopamine, both the cells and vesicles must survive the trauma of denervation and vascular elimination or alternatively acquire the two factors from the transplantation site.
D000313:Adrenal Medulla / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D000818:Animals; D003593:Cytoplasm / Q000648:ultrastructure; D009940:Organoids / Q000032:analysis; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains