Distribution and fine structure of globule leucocytes in respiratory and digestive tracts of the laboratory rat

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Abstract
Study of an unselected population of adult laboratory rats demonstrates the presence of globule leucocytes in the bronchioles, bronchi, trachea, larynx and oropharynx. In the digestive tract, these leucocytes are seldom found in the antral part of the stomach but are abundant in the glandular stomach where they have been confused with mast cells. Numerous globule leucocytes also occur in the large and small intestines. Although most of these leucocytes are located in the epithelium rather than the connective tissue of themucous membranes of these organs, this pattern is reversed in the small intestine of normal rats. Globule leucocytes are present in essentially normal numbers in the trachea and larynx of axenic rats, but are less abundant than normal in the small intestine of these animals. The fine structure of the globule leucocyte and its characteristic inclusions is compared with that of other similar or possibly related cells and with that of the globule leucocyte of the fowl described recently by Toner.