Ultrastructural Changes of Airway in Murine Models of Allergy and Diet-Induced Metabolic Syndrome

Figure 3

Different types of major epithelial cells present in the airway and Goblet cell metaplasia. (a) Ciliated: columnar shaped with elongated nuclei (n) near the base, and electron lucent cytoplasm. (b) Clara: dome-shaped with circular electron dense secretory granules (sg). (c) Goblet: mucus containing membrane bound electron lucent vacuoles in cytoplasm and (d) Basal cell: triangle shaped cell located just above the basement membrane with small basal nuclei (n). (e) TEM of the bronchial epithelia of asthmatic mice showed an abundance of goblet cells (gc) with numerous secretory granules (sg) containing mucus, c, cilia. (f) Clara (cc) and (g) Ciliated epithelial cells (cec) also show secretory granules. (h) Immunogold labeling with Muc5ac show the positive localization of Muc5ac as shown by the presence of gold particles (15 nm) in secretory granules (sg) of ciliated epithelia of asthmatic mice (bbc—basal bodies condensation). Images are at 880X (a)–(f) 3200X (g)-(h) magnifications.