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B Tandler

Publications and source records attributed to B Tandler.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

Ultrastructure and histochemistry of human anterior lingual salivary glands (glands of Blandin and Nuhn).

BACKGROUND: Specimens of human anterior lingual salivary glands obtained by surgery and by dissection of cadavers were studied ultrastructurally and histochemically. METHODS: Specimens were obtained by surgery for ultrastructural study. Other specimens for histochemistry were obtained by dissection of fresh cadavers. Tissues for electron microscopy were fixed and processed by conventional means. Formalin-fixed cadaver specimens were subjected to a battery of tests for glycoconjugates. RESULTS: The anterior lingual salivary glands are composed predominantly of mucous tubules (which come in two distinct sizes: large and small), seromucous demilunes, and rare seromucous acini. Regardless of tubule size, mucous cells are typical in appearance and, like mucous cells in other human salivary glands, contain filamentous bodies. Histochemically, the larger tubules contain neutral glycoproteins, low concentrations of sialoglycoproteins, and large amounts of sulfated glycoproteins. The small mucous tubules contain neutral glycoproteins, much sialoglycoprotein, and relatively small amounts of sulfated glycoprotein. The seromucous cells, whether demilunar or acinar, are identical. They contain numerous secretory granules, which show a spectrum of internal patterns from one individual to another. These cells have considerable concentrations of neutral- and sialoglycoproteins and lower concentrations of sulfated glycoproteins. Contrary to previously published reports, we could find no differences in the ratio of mucous to seromucous cells along the anterior-posterior lingual axis: there was no gradient of seromucous cells in our specimens. The ducts in the anterior lingual salivary glands are not precise counterparts of those in the major salivary glands, since the former have no capsules, hence lack lobulation. Without these familiar structural landmarks, the only duct that can be identified with certainty is the intercalated duct, and then only if it is in continuity with or lies close to a secretory endpiece. Such ducts consist of simple cuboidal epithelium of prosaic appearance. The ductular epithelium gradually thickens and gives rise to what appear to be excretory ducts consisting of columnar cells with few mitochondria. Scattered within the walls of the larger ducts are patches of typical striated ducts wherein the taller cells display basal striations resulting from highly folded basal plasma membranes and numerous, vertically oriented, virgulate mitochondria. In other atypical regions of the excretory duct, basal cells may have a primary cilium that juts into the intercellular space. CONCLUSIONS: There is a high degree of structural variability in human anterior lingual salivary glands. Because of the technical difficulties in collecting pristine saliva from these glands, the precise function(s) of these organs remains unknown.

Epithelial Cells↗

Mucous droplets with multiple membranes in the accessory submandibular glands of long-winged bats.

BACKGROUND: Certain species of bats possess two sets of submandibular glands, namely, principal and accessory. The ultrastructure and histochemistry of the accessory submandibular gland was examined in three species of long-winged bats. METHODS: Specimens of Miniopterus schreibersi and M. magnator were live-trapped in Thailand, and of M. inflatus were live-trapped in Kenya. For electron microscopy, accessory submandibular lands were initially fixed in triple aldehyde-DMSO, postfixed in osmium tetroxide, and embedded in Epon-Maraglas. A portion of the glands collected in Thailand (M. schreibersi and M. magnator) was fixed in buffered formalin and embedded in paraffin. Sections of the latter material were subjected to a battery of histochemical tests for glycoconjugates. RESULTS: Although in all three species the accessory submandibular glands have normal histological structure, the glands in two, M. schreibersi and M. magnator, were distinguished by possessing mucous droplets of unusual morphology. These droplets, whose identity as mucous was confirmed by histochemical tests for glygoconjugates, are delimited by manifold membranes: up to 10 in M. schreibersi and fewer, but still multiple, in M. magnator. In both species, the entire array of surface membranes may fold inward in the fashion of mitochondrial cristae, forming packets of membranes, many of which have the spurious appearance of floating free in the droplet matrix. These multipartite limiting membranes appear to originate simply by Golgi saccules and moderately large, flattened Golgi vesicles repeatedly wrapping themselves around the surface of nascent mucous droplets. During exocytosis, the outermost membrane of each mucous droplet contacts the luminal membrane, this barrier ruptures, then the remainder of the droplet--multiple membranes and matrix--either flow into the lumen or are cast out in toto. In either case, a great deal of membrane phospholipid is added to the saliva. This salivary lipid may permit these bats to consume insects that normally are able to repel predators with chemical defenses that make them unpalatable. The third species that we studied, M. inflatus, has mucous droplets of normal appearance, i.e., they have only one limiting membrane. CONCLUSIONS: The varying structure of mucous secretory products among the species of Miniopterus provides important clues as to the evolution of this genus as well as to the evolution of secretory cells in general.

Animals↗

Giant mitochondria in the seromucous secretory cells of the accessory submandibular gland of the long-haired fruit bat, Stenonycteris lanosus.

Giant mitochondria, measuring up to 6.4 microns in diameter, are present in the seromucous secretory cells of the accessory submandibular gland of the long-haired fruit bat, Stenonycteris lanosus. These mitochondria, as well as all of the smaller ones in the same cells, contain in their matrix compartment an abundance of 33 nm threads that probably consist of protein. Some mitochondria, regardless of size, contain 5 nm helical filaments within an expanded crista. Despite their altered morphology, the enlarged mitochondria in the accessory submandibular gland of S. lanosus must be able to function normally in energy metabolism, since the secretory cells in which they are found elaborate numerous secretory granules.

Animals↗

Ultrastructure of the submandibular gland in the African multimammate rodent, Praomys natalensis.

Praomys natalensis, an African rodent that is phenotypically and cytogenetically intermediate to rats and mice, possesses a submandibular gland that is histologically similar to that in both of these near relatives, but is ultrastructurally unique. Acinar cells, which are seromucous in nature, contain secretory granules that often contain a perfect "bull's eye" inclusion (or some variant of this configuration) suspended in a dense matrix. The Golgi apparatus in these cells has an unusual structure, with the Golgi saccules often being doubled over, so that the outermost saccule also is the innermost. This peculiar architecture apparently arises fairly late in the secretory process, i.e., a Golgi apparatus of conventional structure gives rise to a nascent granule (condensing vacuole), then its saccules secondarily fold over. Intercalated ducts are preceded by a ring of specialized cells that have a number of serous-type granules, the duct cells themselves being devoid of such granules. Granular convoluted tubules (GCT) contain large dense granules that appear to be spontaneously involved in chain exocytosis. These GCT granules probably are the repositories of nerve growth factor, which is particularly abundant in Praomys. Striated ducts for the most part are typical in appearance, but they and, to a lesser extent, GCTs contain prominent, membrane-bound crystalloids with a periodicity of about 15 nm.

Animals↗

Ultrastructure of the sublingual gland in the African multimammate rodent.

The sublingual gland of Praomys natalensis, an African rodent that is phenotypically and cytogenetically intermediate to mice and rats, is a mixed gland, consisting of mucous acini that are capped by serous demilunes, of intercalated ducts, and of some short striated ducts that quickly become excretory ducts. The mucous cells are typical in appearance, with lucent granules that contain an assortment of scattered vermiform or particulate densities. The serous cells display an array of secretory granules with a highly unusual substructure. Rather than a pattern based on the manner in which light and dark regions are disposed in their matrix, these granules contain packets--some furled, some flat--of membranes that exhibit a pronounced axial periodicity of approximately 5 nm. Intercalated ducts are simple in structure, with no obvious morphological specializations. Striated ducts resemble those in the salivary glands of less exotic rodents, but they and the excretory ducts often have clusters of cytoplasmic crystalloids consisting of linear densities that intersect at right angles and that have a periodicity in both directions of approximately 12 nm.

Animals↗

Ultrastructure of lingual salivary glands in the American chameleon: Anolis carolinensis.

That portion of the dorsal surface of the tongue of Anolis carolinensis that is covered by plumose papillae is underlaid by a series of tubular salivary glands that open between the papillae; glands persist into the posterior zone of the tongue, where they open between cylindriform papillae. Anterior glands are serous in nature--they consist of simple columnar epithelial cells that contain abundant secretory granules exhibiting a variety of substructural patterns. The Golgi apparatus is large and of unusual appearance, with numerous closely packed terminal dilatations and condensing vacuoles. Near the posterior border of the lingual zone covered by plumose papillae, mucous cells begin to appear in the glandular epithelium. More posteriorly, the apical portions of the glands consist entirely of mucous cells, whereas the blind ends of the glands are composed of serous cells. The most posterior glands are of the pure mucous variety. The glands finally disappear a short distance posterior to the cylindriform papillae. The functions of the abundant and highly differentiated salivary glands of the Anolis tongue remain obscure.

Animals↗

Unusual mitochondria in the hepatocytes of rats treated with a vitamin B12 analogue.

Adult male rats were administered hydroxy-cobalamin (c-lactam) (HCCL), a vitamin B12 analogue, by means of osmotic mini-pumps. The metabolic effects of HCCL are similar to those produced by simple dietary deficiency of vitamin B12 (Frenkel et al., 1976), but the morphological alterations in hepatic mitochondria are quite different in the two treatments. In HCCL-treated animals, hepatic mitochondria showed significant increases in number. In one rat, the hepatic mitochondria frequently had a single, elongated, circumferentially-oriented crista, with the inner compartment being occupied by a greatly augmented matrix. Such organelles appeared to be capable of division, as indicated by medially-partitioned forms. Numerous hooded mitochondria were present in the hepatic cells of the same animal. Almost every mitochondrion of whatever morphology was partially or completely shrouded by a cistern of rough endoplasmic reticulum. These mitochondrial morphological changes may be related to the chronic metabolic changes in this animal model of methylmalonic aciduria.

Animals↗

Ultrastructure of the mink parotid gland.

Acini in the parotid gland of the North American mink (Mustela vision) are composed of seromucous cells that contain secretory granules of peculiar morphology. Many of the granules consist of a light matrix in which is embedded an inclusion made up of dense, frequently parallel rodlets in a fibrillar material of moderate density. Like the submandibular gland of the same animal, the tall cells of the parotid striated ducts contain numerous polygonal, often rhomboidal, crystalloids in their apical cytoplasm. These crystalloids are present equally in both sexes and are as abundant in the parotid as in the submandibular gland.

Animals↗

Ultrastructure of the principal and accessory submandibular glands of the common vampire bat.

The principal and accessory submandibular glands of the common vampire bat, Desmodus rotundus, were examined by electron microscopy. The secretory endpieces of the principal gland consist of serous tubules capped at their blind ends by mucous acini. The substructure of the mucous droplets and of the serous granules varies according to the mode of specimen preparation. With ferrocyanide-reduced osmium postfixation, the mucous droplets are moderately dense and homogeneous; the serous granules often have a polygonal outline and their matrix shows clefts in which bundles of wavy filaments may be present. With conventional osmium postfixation, the mucous droplets have a finely fibrillogranular matrix; the serous granules are homogeneously dense. Mucous cells additionally contain many small, dense granules that may be small peroxisomes, as well as aggregates of 10-nm cytofilaments. Intercalated duct cells are relatively unspecialized. Striated ducts are characterized by highly folded basal membranes and vertically oriented mitochondria. Luminal surfaces of all of the secretory and duct cells have numerous microvilli, culminating in a brush borderlike affair in the striated ducts. The accessory gland has secretory endpieces consisting of mucous acini with small mucous demilunes. The acinar mucous droplets contain a large dense region; the lucent portion has punctate densities. Demilune mucous droplets lack a dense region and consist of a light matrix in which fine fibrillogranular material is suspended. A ring of junctional cells, identifiable by their complex secretory granules, separates the mucous acini from the intercalated ducts. The intercalated ducts lack specialized structure. Striated ducts resemble their counterparts in the principal gland. As in the principal gland, all luminal surfaces are covered by an array of microvilli. At least some of the features of the principal and accessory submandibular glands of the vampire bat may be structural adaptations to the exigencies posed by the exclusively sanguivorous diet of these animals and its attendant extremely high intake of sodium chloride.

Animals↗