Morphological identification of the lipid-storing cells in golden hamster parathyroid glands after vitamin A treatment

We investigated hamster parathyroid glands of different ages using electron microscopy and found a new cell type in young, adult and senile hamsters. Theses special cells were located in interstitial tissues and invariably co ntained several lipid droplets within the cytoplasm. The cells showed an el ongated spindle with some cell processes. The cells contained small Golgi c omplexes and moderate cisternae of the granular endoplasmic reticulum. The morphological characteristics of these cells were mostly the same as those of lipid-storing cells in other organs (Yamada and Hirosawa, 1976). After v itamin A administration, the lipid droplets in these cells markedly increas ed in number and also in volume density. The other morphological features o f these cells resembled those of the control animals. We called these cells parathyroid lipid-storing cells. They may incorporate and store vitamin A within the lipid droplets. They can be classified as one of the cellular co mponents in hamster parathyroid gland.