The fine structure of sow lutein cells.

Abstract

AbstractThe morphological observations described in this report are part of a biochemical study of progesterone intermediates using sow ovary. This tissue is extensively involved in the production of some steroid hormones. Because the lutein cells are thought to be involved in the synthesis of progesterone and its intermediates and because these cells constitute by size and number the greatest portion of the mass of sow ovary, we confined the morphological investigation to these cells. Sow corpora lutea, fixed with glutaraldehyde and osmium tetroxide were examined by light and electron microscopy.The lutein cells of the sow are large epithelioid cells with oval nuclei and extensive amounts of cytoplasm. Large masses of highly organized smooth endoplasmic reticulum, many oval mitochondria with tubular cristae, and many lipid droplets are present. Only a few profiles of rough endoplasmic reticulum are seen in any one section, and Golgi membranes cannot by distinguished from other smooth membranes. The smooth endoplasmic reticulum is the major membranous organelle in these luteal cells. Microsomal preparations from luteal cells must be very rich in fragments of these smooth membranes. The demonstration of many steroidogenic enzyme systems in microsomal preparations lends strong support to the supposition that these enzyme systems reside in the smooth endoplasmic reticulum.