Ultrastructural changes in the chick thymus following unilateral vagotomy

The ultrastructure of the thymus in the chick (Gallus domesticus) was studied after unilateral vagotomy at survival times of 3, 7 and 10 days. Ultrastructural changes in the ipsilateral thymus were observed in axon boutons as well as in myoid and cystic cells in the medulla, especially those situated near the corticomedullary junction. Structural changes in axon boutons ranged from granular degeneration of the axonal cytoskeleton to vacuolation of the axoplasm. Myelin figures of different sizes and configurations and clumping of small agranular vesicles were commonly observed in the axon terminals. Degeneration of myoid cells appeared to peak at 7 days post-vagotomy. Changes ranged from oedematous appearance and intense vacuolation of the peripheral cytoplasm to disorganisation and clumping of myofibrils. In some myoid cells the sarcomeres showed granular degeneration at the I-bands and in others, the myofibrils were completely degenerated such that amorphous material and partially degenerated organelles filled the entire cell. The majority of cystic cells at 3 days post-vagotomy showed a uniform increase in electron density. Numerous electron dense bodies, some displaying concentric lamellation, were observed throughout the expanse of the cytoplasm. At 7 days post-vagotomy, the cytoplasm of some cells gave a "moth-eaten" appearance. Dying cystic cells were encountered at 10 days after vagotomy. Degeneration in the myoid and cystic cells suggests that these cellular components may be the putative targets of the vagal fibres in the chick thymus. The changes in these cells reflect a disturbance in the cell metabolism presumably brought about by the removal of vagal influence.