Membranous structures in pinealocytes of the Chinese hamster (Cricetulus griseus); are they annulate lamellae?
Pinealocyte ultrastructure in the normal and spontaneously diabetic Chinese hamster has been studied. A literature comparison shows it to be similar to the pineal of the Syrian hamster; however, the incidence of membranous structures is more frequent in the Chinese as compared with the Syrian hamster. Stacks of membranous structures were present in pinealocytes of all animals in this study and, therefore, appear to be regularly occurring organelles in the pineal of this species. There are analogies between these membranes and annulate lamellae; however, like annulate lamellae, their functional significance is unknown.
D000818:Animals; D006224:Cricetinae; D003412:Cricetulus; D003921:Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental / Q000473:pathology; D004721:Endoplasmic Reticulum / Q000648:ultrastructure; D005260:Female; D007425:Intracellular Membranes / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D008297:Male; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D010870:Pineal Gland / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D013045:Species Specificity