Ultrastructure of the thread cells in the slime gland of Japanese hagfishes, Paramyxine atami and Eptatretus burgeri

Abstract

Summary The thread cells in the slime gland of Japanese hagfishes, Paramyxine atami and Eptatretus burgeri were studied by light and electron microscopy. The mature thread cells are large elements (180×80 μ) filled with an intricately coiled thread, approximately 2 μ in diameter. The protein nature of the thread has been confirmed by histochemical examination. In the initial stage of growth, the thread consists of a bundle of distinctly parallel filaments approximately 90–120 Å in diameter and a centrally located tubular component approximately 230–260 Å in diameter which occurs singly or occasionally as a double and triple structure. The developing thread displays thin filaments, approximately 30–60 Å in diameter. The thin filaments are composed of fine fibrous structures, subfilaments, approximately 10–30 Å in diameter. On the outer surface of the thread a coating is apparent, giving it a fluffy appearance. Polysomal clusters consisting of five or six ribosomes are predominant. Fine fibrous structures are also found among the threads. They seem to have a spatial relationship with the polysomes and resemble the subfilament constituents of the thin filaments. From these results, it may be suggested that the fine fibrous structures synthesized by polysomes, twist together and coalesce into a thread. The problem of the polysome size and the molecular weight of the fibrous protein synthesized is discussed.