Fine structure of Pacinian corpuscles in the mesentery of the cat

Pacinian corpuscles in the mesentery of adult cats were fixed with either glutaraldehyde, osmium tetroxide or permanganate solutions by close intra-arterial injection through the mesenteric artery, and were processed, after electron staining and Epon embedding, for electron microscopy. Better resolution of the corpuscle's ultrastructure was obtained than available heretofore. The myelinated segment of the corpuscle contains blood vessels separated from the axon by collagen fibers and 3 to 4 layers of lamellae. No blood vessels are found in the central core, though access from the vessels is afforded by diffusion through the "cleft" of the inner core. Two cell types are discernible in the inner core hemilamellae; the "clear cells" in which pinocytotic vesicles and organelles abound and reflect the greater metabolic activity of these cells, in contrast to the "dark cells." The ultraterminal is ellipsoidal in form with projections into the "cleft" which give this portion an irregular appearance in section. The terminal and ultraterminal are packed with mitochondria, and "synaptic" vesicles are seen in the ultraterminal. The innermost laminae of the inner core cells are in close apposition to the terminal and break their regular pattern of hemilamellation to surround the small ultraterminal projections at the apical part of the corpuscle.