Ultrastructure of the mouse blood basophil

This work establishes the presence of basophils in mouse peripheral blood and describes their ultrastructure. In this species, the cytoplasmic granules, which are membrane-bound and relatively scarce, differ both in size and electron-density. The intragranular particle size is often markedly heterogeneous. All cytoplasmic organelles are visible including a well-defined Golgi and centriole. The bi-lobed or multi-lobed nucleus has peripherally condensed heterochromatin, nuclear pores and often nucleoli. The surface membrane is characteristically abundant in projections and associated cavities. The electron microscope image of the mouse basophil shows similarities to that of the human basophil, but appears different from that of the guinea pig, chicken and rat.