Equine synovial tendon sheaths and bursae: a transmission electron microscope study

A transmission electron microscope study was undertaken to investigate the details of the synovial tendon sheath and bursal lining in horses. The lining cells appeared to be fibroblasts and were buried in a finely granular ground substance. Generally these cells had poor cytoplasmic organelles, sparse short profiles of rough endoplasmic reticulum (RER), few scattered ribosomes and, occasionally, a poorly developed Golgi complex. However, a few lining cells appeared more active, having pronounced RER with dilated cisternane. The surface of the lining cells, particularly those with dilated RER, had filipodia of different shapes, which in some instances appeared to surround a detached matrix. This feature might indicate that these cells are capable of phagocytosis. In young animals, the lining was more or less akin to that of the adult. However, the lining cells were virtually indistinguishable from the fibroblasts in the subconnective tissue.