Summary
The fine structure of the human fetal parathyroid gland has been studied with the electron microscope. The parenchymal cells of the human fetal parathyroid gland are composed of a majority of inactive chief cells and small number of intermediate chief cells. Neither active chief cells nor oxyphil cells are found in this study.
Inactive chief cells are characterized by rounded nuclei with one small nucleolus and by cytoplasm containing large lakes of glycogen particles, poor cytoplasmic components, and few secretory granules. Intermediate chief cells are infrequently observed in the fetal parathyroid gland. The cytoplasm of intermediate chief cells has smaller numbers of glycogen particles, numerous mitochondria, relatively well-developed Golgi complex and granular endoplasmic reticulum.
The secretory granules are occasionally observed in the intermediate chief cells. They are dense, spherical (or occasionally dumbbell-shaped) bodies, 250–350 mμ in diameter, composed of finely granular material. Lipid bodies and multivesicular bodies are seen in the parenchymal cell.
Occasional cilia are noticed in the parenchymal cell of the human fetal parathyroid gland. The capillary endothelium of this gland is of a fenestrated type, though it has relatively thick cytoplasm.
Suggestions as to the secretory activity of the fetal parathyroid gland are advanced, bared on the fine structure observed in this study.
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The authors wish to express their cordial thanks to Professor H. Yamada and Professor Y. Sano for much advice, encouragement, and criticism. Many thanks are also extended to Professor H. Stanley Bennett for his valuable criticism during the preparation of the manuscript.
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Nakagami, K., Yamazaki, Y. & Tsunoda, Y. An electron microscopic study of the human fetal parathyroid gland. Zeitschrift für Zellforschung 85, 89–95 (1967). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00330589
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00330589