The S.E.M. study of rat parotid gland parenchyma

The rat parotid gland parenchyma consists of four principal components: acini, intercalated ducts, striated ducts, and excretory ducts. Secretory acini are mostly of ellipsoidal to polygonal shapes, exceptionally of typically globular shape. The shape and the size of acini are in a close relation to their localization within the glandular parenchyma. The average acinar size is approximately equal to 35 microns. The structure of the ductal three corresponds with the known description but the surface of the individual segments (especially of striated and excretory ducts) shows some features that are impossible to be discovered when observed with TEM but that are clear by visible when observed with S.E.M. Myoepithelial cells have a typical asteroid shape. The observations with S.E.M. have shown that they overlap with their processes from one acinar cell to another one, or they radiate also over the adjacent intercalated duct.