Effect of vinblastine sulfate on the fine structure of cells of the rat renal corpuscle

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Abstract
Vinblastine sulfate was administered intravenously to adult rats chiefly to study the effect of microtubule loss on the cell shape of renal podo‐cytes. After treatment which resulted in a nearly complete absence of normalsized microtubules (260 Å diameter) in podocytes, there was no evidence that any alteration in cell shape accompanied the disappearance of these organelles. Unlike podocytes, blood platelets did undergo a change in shape with exposure to the drug. After treatment, platelets seen within glomerular capillaries were more spherical and rarely contained microtubules.Intracytoplasmic paracrystalline inclusions characteristic of vinblastine treatment were observed in visceral and parietal cells of Bowman's capsule, glomerular endothelial cells, blood platelets, mesangial cells, interstitial fibroblasts, mononuclear leukocytes, a granulated juxtaglomerular cell, and cells of the proximal and distal convoluted tubules. Unusually large microtubules, with an approximate diameter of 450 Å, were also seen in a variety of cell types after vinblastine treatment. In favorably oriented cross‐sectional profiles, 12–13 subunits were discernible within the wall of these large microtubules.