ULTRASTRUCTURE OF THE MESOTHELIAL CELLS OF PARIETAL PERITONEUM IN HUMAN FETUS / 解剖学报

ABSTRACT

By transmission electron microscopy and freeze etching technique 15 human fetuses were utilized to study the ultrastructure of the mesothelial cells on the parietal peritoneum. The mesothelial cells of the diaphragmatic peritoneum contained numerous vesicles which were frequently communicated with the free surface, the basement membrane, intercellular space and the peritoneal stomata. Some of the vesicles seemed to fuse each other and form vacuoles. Vacuoles also occurred close to, or communicated with the basement membrane and cell free surface. Sometimes they appeared as secretory particles. The microvilli contained vesicles opened to the free surface. The mesothelial cells on the pelvic wall displayed abundant endoplasmic reticulum and Golgi apparatus, but scanty vesicles. So, the mesothelial cells on parietal peritoneum of human fetuses might be classified into two types, i. e. the vesiclecontaining cells on the diaphragmatic peritoneum and the ER-containing cells on the peritoneum of the pelvic wall. The vesicle-containing cells seemed to uptake material from the peritoneal cavity. Abundant endoplasmic reticulum and Golgi apparatus reflected a high synthetic activity, hence the ER-containing cells might be possibly related to the production of peritoneal fluid.