Seasonal variation in the morphology of thyroid parafollicular (C) cells in the woodchuck, Marmota monax: a light and electron microscopic study. 1977

R Frink, and P P Krupp, and R A Young

The morphology of parafollicular (C) cells in the thyroid gland of the woodchuck, Marmota monax, was studied during the four seasons of the year. The spring C cells are characterized by a large Golgi zone, rough-surfaced endoplasmic reticulum, free ribosomes and relatively few dense granules. In the summer these cells appear to be larger and many are packed with dense granules. Fall cells exhibit morphological characteristics suggestive of intense synthetic activity, having rough-surfaced endoplasmic reticulum in whorls or parallel arrangement, a large Golgi apparatus and few, to many granules, some of which are larger than those seen in the spring and summer C cells. In the winter, most of the C cells are packed with granules. The Golgi zone, when observed, is small and the rough-surfaced endoplasmic reticulum is sparse. Many cell profiles exhibit apparent granule dissolution. These cyclic morphological findings are discussed along with previous studies of other hibernators and are correlated with the seasonal activities of the woodchuck.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D008297 Male Males
D008392 Marmota A genus of Sciuridae consisting of 14 species. They are shortlegged, burrowing rodents which hibernate in winter. Woodchucks,Marmots,Marmot,Marmotas,Woodchuck
D008854 Microscopy, Electron Microscopy using an electron beam, instead of light, to visualize the sample, thereby allowing much greater magnification. The interactions of ELECTRONS with specimens are used to provide information about the fine structure of that specimen. In TRANSMISSION ELECTRON MICROSCOPY the reactions of the electrons that are transmitted through the specimen are imaged. In SCANNING ELECTRON MICROSCOPY an electron beam falls at a non-normal angle on the specimen and the image is derived from the reactions occurring above the plane of the specimen. Electron Microscopy
D003594 Cytoplasmic Granules Condensed areas of cellular material that may be bounded by a membrane. Cytoplasmic Granule,Granule, Cytoplasmic,Granules, Cytoplasmic
D004721 Endoplasmic Reticulum A system of cisternae in the CYTOPLASM of many cells. In places the endoplasmic reticulum is continuous with the plasma membrane (CELL MEMBRANE) or outer membrane of the nuclear envelope. If the outer surfaces of the endoplasmic reticulum membranes are coated with ribosomes, the endoplasmic reticulum is said to be rough-surfaced (ENDOPLASMIC RETICULUM, ROUGH); otherwise it is said to be smooth-surfaced (ENDOPLASMIC RETICULUM, SMOOTH). (King & Stansfield, A Dictionary of Genetics, 4th ed) Ergastoplasm,Reticulum, Endoplasmic
D005260 Female Females
D006056 Golgi Apparatus A stack of flattened vesicles that functions in posttranslational processing and sorting of proteins, receiving them from the rough ENDOPLASMIC RETICULUM and directing them to secretory vesicles, LYSOSOMES, or the CELL MEMBRANE. The movement of proteins takes place by transfer vesicles that bud off from the rough endoplasmic reticulum or Golgi apparatus and fuse with the Golgi, lysosomes or cell membrane. (From Glick, Glossary of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, 1990) Golgi Complex,Apparatus, Golgi,Complex, Golgi
D000818 Animals Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA. Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D012270 Ribosomes Multicomponent ribonucleoprotein structures found in the CYTOPLASM of all cells, and in MITOCHONDRIA, and PLASTIDS. They function in PROTEIN BIOSYNTHESIS via GENETIC TRANSLATION. Ribosome
D012377 Rodentia A mammalian order which consists of 29 families and many genera. Beavers,Capybaras,Castor Beaver,Dipodidae,Hydrochaeris,Jerboas,Rodents,Beaver,Capybara,Hydrochaeri,Jerboa,Rodent,Rodentias

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