RENOMEDULLARY INTERSTITIAL CELLS: SCANNING ELECTRON MICROSCOPY STUDY / 解剖学报

ABSTRACT

The renomedullary interstitial cells (RMIC) of rat were investigated using the method of HCl-Tween removing extracellular material and scanning electron microscope. According to the shape and distribution, the RMIC may be divided into 3 groups. However, most of RMIC belong to the first group.The cell of the first group is fibroblast-like, which has an irregular cylindrical body (about 2-6 ?m in short diameter and 5-12 ?m in long diameter) and several processes from both ends of the body. The processes from one end are distributed on the wall of the renal tubule (Henle's loop or collecting tubule); and those from the other end on the blood vessel, sometimes, with the vascular pedicles formed by the expanding of the process end. The long axis of the cells of the first group is perpendicular to the tubules and blood vessels, so the cells are bridged between them.The second group cell has a round body without process and is located at the body of the first group cell.The third group cell is star-like, which has a large body (about 5-8 ?m in diameter) and a few small processes. They are randomly distributed, and sometimes, arranged as a line along the blood vessel.