B. Tandler et al., ULTRASTRUCTURE OF MAJOR INTRAGLANDULAR DUCTS IN THE PAROTID-GLAND OF THE AFRICAN MOLE-RAT, European journal of morphology, 36, 1998, pp. 27-30
The parotid gland of a female African mole-rat, Tachyoryctes splendens
, was examined by light and electron microscopy. A pure seromucous gla
nd of conventional histology, its striated and excretory ducts contain
prominent cytoplasmic inclusions that are lightly stained with toluid
ine blue. At the ultrastructural level, the inclusions are seen to con
sist of a light to moderately dense structureless matrix in which are
suspended scattered, randomly oriented filaments that either are 4-7 n
m or approx 14 nm thick. A few multivesicular bodies or putative lipid
droplets are sparsely distributed in the inclusions. Even though the
inclusions lack an encompassing membrane, all other formed cytoplasmic
structures are excluded. These inclusions are not present in the duct
s of the submandibular gland of the mole-rat. The inclusions may confe
r special properties on the parotid gland of this fossorial animal tha
t permit it to cope with the exigencies of a subterranean existence.