Seasonal changes in the fine structure of the basal granular cells of the bat thyroid

Abstract

The fine structure of the thyroid gland of non-hibernating, hibernating, and intermittently aroused hibernating bats was examined. It was found that in addition to the ordinary, follicular cell, another widespread thyroid cell type is present in all bats examined. This cell is situated in the basal region of the thyroid follicle and is characterized by a cytoplasm full of secretory-like granules. In the basal cells of bats captured in April and June the granules consist of an extremely dense core and are of a uniform size averaging from 0·1–0·5 μ diameter. In bats caught in August the solid dense granules vary greatly in size and large granules of diameters from 2 to 5 μ are common. These large granules are often found concentrated in groups in the most basal region of the follicular epithelium. Hibernating bats are characterized by partly or totally degranulated basal thyroid cells. The cytoplasmic granules in the partly degranulated cell vary greatly in appearance, ranging from solid dense granules to empty vesicles. In totally degranulated basal cells, empty vesicles fill the cytoplasmic matrix. The granular endoplasmic reticulum of the basal thyroid cell also shows seasonal changes, while the Golgi complex remains a well-developed organelle throughout the year. These observations suggest that the thyroid basal granular cell is involved in secretory activities; its possible functional role is discussed.