Electron-Microscopic Studies on the Maturation of Secretory Cells in the Mouse Harderian Gland

Abstract

The porphyrins in the Harderian glands of mice are first detectable at 7–8 days of age in both sexes. Thereafter, the levels show a marked rise during the closed-eye period, reaching a peak around the time of eyelid disjunction and then decrease gradually until day 25. At onset of puberty, the level rises again and exhibits a sexual dimorphism. The development of the Harderian gland was examined by light and electron microscopy in the mouse. Although two types of secretory cells, designated as type A and type B, comprise the glandular epithelium in fully developed glands, the time of neonatal appearance is different between the two. Type A cells first appear on the 5th day of age while type B cells appear around the 7th day corresponding to the time at which porphyrins are first detected. Results of the investigations suggest that the porphyrins in the Harderian gland of mice may be synthesized mainly by type B cells.

The Harderian gland in autoimmune diabetes of the nonobese diabetic mouse

“…The two types of HG secretory cells described by Shirama and Hokano (1991) were observed. A-type cells containing a greater number of larger-sized lipid vacuoles (Fig.…”

“…Other authors have also reported an extrapancreatic inflammation, including Bernard et al (19911, Miyagawa et al (1986), and Sugihara et al (1989). The Harderian gland (HG), a large intraorbital organ found in almost all land vertebrates, contains lipids and porphyrins in the mouse (Shirama and Hokano, 1991), and to our knowledge there are no articles solely dedicated to the infiltration occurring in the HG, the salivary gland (sialadenitis) being the most studied extrapancreatic infiltration site in NOD mice. In these studies, one or several foci at peridudal and perivascular sites and retrogressive changes of some acini have been described (Goillot et al, 1991;Sugihara et al, 1989).…”

Organogenesis of the Harderian gland: A comparative survey

“…More rapid development of the gland occurs after birth during the period of eyelid disjunction both in the differentiation of the glandular epithelium and in production of porphyrin (Shirama and Hokano, 1991).…”

Compromised epidermal barrier stimulates Harderian gland activity and hypertrophy in ACBP−/− mice

“…It becomes functional from around 14 days of age when the pups open their eyes; however, the gland continues to grow and mature until adulthood ( 32 ). We found that the size of the gland is similar in ACBP Ϫ / Ϫ and ACBP +/+ mice until just before weaning at 21 days of age ( Fig.…”