Carotid body of Camelus dromedarius

The carotid body of the camel is located between a mass of loose connective tissue at the point of separation of the internal carotid artery from the carotid trunk. A capsule-like connective tissue sheath sends strands in between the parenchyme of this organ and separates lobes and lobules, making it disseminated in type, as in man and in the horse. Two distinct types of cells were found in the parenchyma. Type I cells with specific electton-dense, cored vesicles, and type II cells with protoplasmic extensions. Unlike the previously reported arrangement in the carotid body of some species, the type I cells have direct contact with the basement membrane of glomi and capillaries. Synaptic contacts were seen on both cell types.