The carotid body was found in/on the cavernous sinus of the carotid re
te of the Japanese miniature Shiba goat by light and electron microsco
pies. The carotid body-like aggregated cell group consisted of two typ
es of cells arranged in the lobule. The first type contained membrane-
bound granular vesicles; these cells resembled to the type-I cells in
the carotid body. The second type contained no cytoplasmic vesicles, a
nd were located in the periphery, investing the type-I cells. These fe
atures appear to be consistent with those of the type-II cells in the
carotid body. The nerve ending showed two peculiar features in the int
ercellular space of type-I cells. The clear vesicle-containing nerve e
nding showed a structural feature indicative of efferent synapsis. The
small granular vesicle-containing nerve ending has been described as
a baroreceptor-like ending by VERNA (1979). All of these features are
typical characteristics of the carotid body.