Ultrastructural changes of secretory cells in Harderian gland during postnatal development of Mongolian gerbil

몽고리안 저빌의 출생후 Harderian gland 분비세포 미세구조의 전자현미경적 고찰

  • Oh, Seung-hyun (Department of Laboratory Animal Medicine, Medical Research Center, Yonsei University College of Medicine) ;
  • Yun, Young-min (Department of Laboratory Animal Medicine, Medical Research Center, Yonsei University College of Medicine) ;
  • Park, Ji-young (Department of Laboratory Animal Medicine, Medical Research Center, Yonsei University College of Medicine) ;
  • Yoon, Yeo-sung (Department of Veterinary Histology and Embryology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Seoul National University) ;
  • Lee, Joon-sup (Department of Veterinary Histology and Embryology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Seoul National University) ;
  • Seong, Je-kyung (Department of Laboratory Animal Medicine, Medical Research Center, Yonsei University College of Medicine)
  • 오승현 (연세대학교 의과대학 임상의학연구센터 실험동물부) ;
  • 윤영민 (연세대학교 의과대학 임상의학연구센터 실험동물부) ;
  • 박지영 (연세대학교 의과대학 임상의학연구센터 실험동물부) ;
  • 윤여성 (서울대학교 수의과대학 조직학교실) ;
  • 이준섭 (서울대학교 수의과대학 조직학교실) ;
  • 성제경 (연세대학교 의과대학 임상의학연구센터 실험동물부)
  • Accepted : 2000.05.16
  • Published : 2000.06.25

Abstract

Harderian glands are the unique organs in several mammals, which human and non-human primates do not have. We report the ultrastructural changes in the postnatal developmental periods of Harderian glands in Mongolian gerbil(Meriones unguiculatus). Male and female Mongolian gerbils were sacrificed on days 3, 10, 30 and 60 after birth and their Harderian glands were observed by transmission electron microscope. The obtained results were summarized as follows; 1. In 3-day-old Mongolian gerbils, Harderian gland was composed of one excretory duct and immature tubules which have two type cells, dark and light cells, identified electron-dense and electron-lucent respectively. 2. In 10-day-old Mongolian gerbils, small lipid vacuoles began to be found in the cytoplasm of the secretory cells of the Harderian gland. Mitochondria, Golgi apparatus, polysomes and slash were more abundant in the cytoplasm of dark cells than those of light cells. The arrangement of tubules in the gland was much more condensed than that of 3-day-old Mongolian gerbils. 3. In 30-day-old Mongolian gerbils, the secretory cells of the tubule were typically columnar in shape and there was one type cell in the tubule. Most of the columnar secretory cells contained various size vacuoles. 4. In 60-day-old Mongolian gerbils, the Harderian gland possessed the typical structural characteristics of adults. The mature glandular structures were more significant than those of 30-day-old animals.

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Acknowledgement

Supported by : 학술진흥재단