ARTICLE

A NEW CRYSTAL-CONTAINING CELL IN HUMAN ADRENAL CORTEX

Maria C. Magalhães ¹

¹ From the Laboratory of Histology, Faculty of Medicine, and Electron Microscopy Center, University of Oporto, Oporto, Portugal

Electron microscope examination of the adrenal cortex from three male human subjects revealed a special type of cell occurring in periendothelial spaces, in all adrenal cortex zones. It is a clear, spindle-shaped cell the principal cytoplasmic features of which are crystalline inclusions with a structure similar to that of the Reinke crystals of human testicular interstitial cells and an abundance of microfilaments. Enzymatic digestions with pronase, pepsin, and ribonuclease were performed, and no digestion of the crystals was obtained. The crystals had no peroxidase or acid phosphatase activities. This cell appears to be exclusive to human males and it may be related to adrenal androgen secretion.

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