title: Histological observation of the proper gastric gland in Minke whale, Balaenoptera acutorostrata.
abstract: To accumulate histological information of cetaceans, the proper gastric gland of Minke whales was examined by light and electron microscopic observation. A small number of mucous neck cells and a large number of chief and parietal cells were observed in the gland. At the body to basal portions of the gland, the ratio of chief cells to other cells seemed to be large compared to the neck portion. Transmission electron microscopy revealed that the chief cell had secretory granules with middle level of electron density, and that the parietal cell contained abundant mitochondria and intracellular canaliculi. The proper gastric gland of the Minke whales may appear to secrete large amounts of digestive enzymes and have high digestive activity.
authors.affiliation: The United Graduate School of Veterinary Science, Yamaguchi University, Yamaguchi, Japan.
authors.forename: Tetsuya
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Shimokawa
authors.forename: Daishiro
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Yamagiwa
authors.forename: Eiichi
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Hondo
authors.forename: Shigetoshi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nishiwaki
authors.forename: Yasuo
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kiso
authors.forename: Takashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Makita
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D005753:Gastric Mucosa / Q000166:cytology* / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D010295:Parietal Cells, Gastric / Q000166:cytology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D014907:Whales / Q000033:anatomy & histology