Intramitochondrial dense bodies in the goblet cells of the ileum of muscular dystrophic mice.

Abstract

Mitochondrial osmiophilic bodies were found in the goblet cells of the small intestine in a group of muscular dystrophic mice. They were not found in any littermate normal control mice. The dense bodies were uniformly round in shape but variable in size, approximately 0.2-0.4 mu in diameter. A limiting membrane encircled a dense content. Mitochondria with such dense bodies were distributed throughout the goblet cells. Adjacent absorbing epithelial cells had none of such mitochondrial bodies. Though the site of formation of the mitochondrial bodies remains to be investigated, the Golgi complex did not appear to be involved in the transportation of the dense bodies. Digestion of sections with ether-chlorofolm (1:1) slightly decreased the density of the mitochondrial body. Ruthenium red staining was not visible over the dense bodies but trace of Ru was detected by X-ray microanalysis. X-ray microanalysis indicated very few, if any, amounts of P and Ca, and it was not probable that phospholipid and calcium binding protein were the main constitution of these dense bodies.