Ultrastructure

Abstract

The carotid body presents on electron microscopy a pattern of organization of groups of epithelioid cells associated with endothelial-lined sinusoids similar to that seen with light microscopy. The apparent intimate contact between the 2 structures on light microscopy is not found, but rather there is present an interstitial space (Ross, 1959), perisinusoidal space (Lever et al., 1959), pericapillary space (Kobayashi, 1971), or perivascular space (Kjaergaard, 1973), which is filled with collagen fibrils (De Kock and Dunn, 1966), fibroblasts, and myelinated and unmyelinated nerve fibers (Fig. 5-1). Pericytes have also been described in the interstitial space in the carotid body of the rabbit (Palkama, 1965; Lever et al., 1959; Biscoe and Stehbens, 1965, 1966), cat (Knoche et al., 1971; Biscoe and Stehbens, 1965, 1966), dog (Kobayashi, 1968), and man (Grimley and Glenner, 1967, 1968; Bock et al., 1970; Kobayashi, 1971; Kjaergaard, 1973).