A COMPARATIVE-STUDY OF THE GLOMERULAR PERIPOLAR CELL AND THE RENIN-SECRETING CELL IN 12 MAMMALIAN-SPECIES

The peripolar cell is a glomerular epithelial cell situated within Bow man's capsule at its vascular pole. It is believed to be a secretory c ell which forms part of the juxtaglomerular apparatus. Scanning electr on microscopy was used to perform a comparative study of the morpholog y and number of peripolar cells in twelve mammalian species. The numbe r of renin-secreting cells in kidney sections stained by renin antibod ies and immunocytochemistry was counted. There was a marked inter-spec ies variation in the number, size and appearance of peripolar cells. T hey were largest and most abundant in sheep and goat and fewest in dog , cow and human. There was no correlation between the numbers of perip olar cells and renin-secreting cells. This does not support the view t hat the peripolar cell is part of the juxtaglomerular apparatus.