The ultrastructure of rat ovarian interstitial gland cells during pregnancy : effects of denervation / by James C. Harvell, Jr.
| Author/creator | Harvell, James C. author. |
| Other author | Burden, Hubert White, degree supervisor. |
| Other author | East Carolina University. Department of Biology. |
| Format | Theses and dissertations |
| Production | 1979. |
| Description | vii, 54 leaves, 14 unnumbered leaves of plates : illustrations ; 28 cm |
| Supplemental Content | Access via ScholarShip |
| Subjects |
| Summary | The fine structure of the interstitial gland was studied in control and denervated ovaries on Days 6, 10, 14 and 18 of pregnancy. Prominent fine structural features of control ovaries are as follows: At Day 6, nuclei are large and spherical and have peripheral hetero chromatin. Mitochondria are numerous, often bizarre in shape, and have tubular cristae. Smooth endoplasmic reticulum is abundant. Golgi zones, osmiophilic lipid droplets, and gap junctions are prominent. At Day 10, nuclei are similar to Day 6. Mitochondria have both tubular and lamellar cristae, Golgi zones are compressed, and lipid droplets are less osmiophilic. At Day 14, nuclei are large, irregularly shaped and contain dense heterochromatin. Mitochondria are small, the Golgi complex extensive and lipid droplets electron lucent. At Day 18, nuclei are small and mitochondria have lamellated cristae. Lipid droplets are large and numerous. Fine structural features of denervated ovaries are as follows: At Day 6, nuclei are small and irregular with dense heterochromatin. Mitochondrial cristae are lamellated and tubular. Numerous annular gap junctions are present. Denervation at this stage of pregnancy results in increased release of lipid droplets from interstitial gland cells. At Day 10, nuclei are larger than Day 6 and spherical. The Golgi complex is dilated. Lipid droplets are osmiophilic and associate closely with mitochondria and agranular endoplasmic reticulum. At Day 14, cytoplasmic features include small mitochondria with lamellar cristae and numerous scattered, free ribosomes. Intercellular space is pronounced. At Day 18, nuclei and mitochondria are reduced in size. Gap junctions are prominent, particularly between cells which border adrenergic nerve terminals. Collectively, these observations suggest that interstitial cells of controls are highly stimulated during the first half of pregnancy and undergo regression during the last half of pregnancy. Denervation at all stages of pregnancy studied, caused a qualitative and quantitative increase in the fine structural features which are characteristic of regressing steroid-secreting cells. Cutting the ovarian nerves during early pregnancy results in an augmented release of lipid droplets from interstitial cells. These responses of interstitial gland cells to denervation provide additional morphological evidence of a functional role for the adrenergic nerves in this ovarian compartment. |
| Local note | Joyner-"Presented to the faculty of the Department of Biology ... in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree Master of Science in Biology." |
| General note | Presented to the faculty of the Department of Biology |
| General note | Advisor: Hubert W. Burden |
| Dissertation note | M.S. East Carolina University 1979 |
| Bibliography note | Includes bibliographical references (leaves 22-26). |
| Genre/form | Academic theses. |
| Genre/form | Academic theses. |
| Genre/form | Thèses et écrits académiques. |
Availability
| Library | Location | Call Number | Status | Item Actions |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Joyner | University Archives | ASK AT SPECIAL COLLECTIONS DESK | ✔ Available | Request Material |
| Electronic Resources | Access Content Online | ✔ Available |