The Fine Structure of the Adrenal Gland of the Indian SheathTailed Bat, Taphozous longimanus (Hardwicke)

Abstract

The Indian sheath-tailed bat, Taphozous longimanus at Nagpur (Maharashtra State) shows continuous asynchronous breeding, exhibiting aseasonal polyoestry. The adrenal gland of Taphozous is made up of the steroidogenic and chromaffin cells. The ultrastructural features of the glomerulosa cells during estrus are inconspicuous Golgi complex mitochondria with vesicular cristae, a few lipid droplets and smooth endoplasmic reticulum with vesicular cisternae. Numerous mitochondria, smooth endoplasmic reticulum in the form of interconnected vesicles scattered throughout the cytoplasm and large numbers of lipid droplets are the characteristics of the cells of zona fasciculata. Adrenal gland of pregnant female shows striking differences in ultrastrctural features than those observed in the adrenal gland of non-pregnant female. During pregnancy, the cells of zona glomerulosa are hypertrophied and synthetically very active than that observed during estrus. The cells of zona fasciculata show mitochondria with tubular and lamellar cristae. There is an increase in Golgi-SER area during pregnancy as compare to estrus. Lipid droplets are more than those observed in the cells of zona glomerulosa and zona fasciculata of estrus adrenal. The close association of lipid droplets with smooth endoplasmic reticulum and mitochondria suggests the active biosynthesis of steroid hormones. Adrenal medulla consists of two types of cells depending on the presence of secretory granules. Nor-epinephrine cells are predominant in the medulla of pregnant bat while epinephrine cells are predominant in the medulla of estrus bat.

Fine structure of adrenal gland of Indian wild caught female bat Taphozous kachhensis (Dobson)

“…The present study suggests that two types of cells are present in T. kachhensis, similar to that observed in T. longimanus (Nerkar, 2012) and M. lyra lyra (Sonwane, 2010).…”

“…In T. longimanus (Nerkar, 2012), zona fasciculata is well developed during estrus. The mitochondria have vesicular cristae.…”

“…The ultrastructural characteristic of zona glomerulosa of non-pregnant adult female and pregnant female bat, T. longimanus (Nerkar, 2012) shows the striking difference. During estrus bat shows euchromatic nucleus with prominent nucleolus.…”

“…Miniopteru schreibersii (Panel et al, 1961) and Pipistrellus pipistrellus (Saidapur and Nadkarni, 1976). While in Taphozous longimanus Nerkar (2012) has reported that the cortex is differentiated into two zone including, zona glomerulosa and zona fasciculata. Zona reticularis is absent.…”

Histological and Ultra Structure Observations of the Adrenal Gland of Fruit Eating Bat (Rousettus Aegyptiacus)

“…The ultrastructural characteristics of the cells of zona glomerulosa of present bat adrenal gland show low numbers of vacuolated lipids and secreted lipids, circular and small nucleus. In Taphozous longimanus [21] observed some striking differences during estrus and pregnancy; Golgi apparatus is inconspicuous during estrus but well developed during late pregnancy, mitochondria show vesicular cristae during estrus and vesicular and lamellar cristae during pregnancy, moderate to high amounts of tubular profiles of smooth endoplasmic reticulum is seen during estrus. However, there is extensive development of tubular profiles of smooth endoplasmic reticulum during pregnancy.…”