Histochemistry and Electron Microscopy of the Renal Papilla in a Genetic Strain of Rats with Diabetes Insipidus

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
Ultrastructural and histochemical alterations of diabetes insipidus (DI) rats are presented. The most striking feature is the presence of numerous vacuoles and large intercellular spaces in the epithelial cells of collecting tubules of renal papilla. Intercellular spaces may reach 8 µm in diameter, while cytoplasmic vacuoles vary from 0.1 to 0.8 µm. Intercellular spaces probably result from destruction of the cytoplasm or separation of the twolateral cell membranes. Intracellular vacuoles may have their origin from disorganized mitochondria. Mitochondria also show focal swelling and degeneration, with loss of portions of cristae. Heterozygotes are essentially free of lesions. Histochemically and cytochemically, the connective tissues of the papilla in the DI rat contain less mucopolysaccharides than the normal. This may account for the greater resorption of water in the normal animal.

This publication has 0 references indexed in Scilit: