Ultrastructure of the nongranulated cells and morphology of the extracellular spaces in the pars distalis of adult and pouch-young tammar wallabies (Macropus eugenii)

Summary Differentiated nongranulated (folliculo-stellate) cells were observed in the centre and periphery of the cords of cells in the pars distalis of the adult tammar wallaby (Macropus eugenii). The nongranulated cells formed follicles containing a small lumen; the cell apices were joined by junctional complexes including zonulae adhaerentes and maculae adhaerentes (desmosomes). Follicles of granulated cells were also occasionally found. Follicles were rarely observed in the adult, but were numerous and generally larger in pouch-young wallabies. Moreover, whereas the involvement of granulated cells in the follicles of the adult was infrequent, they were common components of follicular structures in the pouch-young. The marginal cells at the periphery of the pars distalis in contact with the hypophysial cleft had many of the cytological characteristics of the nongranulated cells in the central pars distalis. In both adult and pouch-young wallabies, nongranulated cells at the periphery of the cell cords were juxtaposed such that they formed sinusoid-like spaces or lacunae, presumably as part of the extravascular channel system. The observations are discussed in light of the proposed phagocytotic, metabolite and/or hormone transport and stem cell roles attributed to these cells.This work was supported by a travel grant and grant-in-aid of research from the N.S.E.R.C. (J.F.L.) and from the A.R.G.C. and the N.I.H. (M.B.R.)