The postnatal development of the rat Harderian gland - I. Light microscopic observations

The postnatal development of the Harderian gland of the rat was studied by light microscopy using paraffin- and epon-embedded tissues of animals ranging from newly born to the age of 13 weeks. In one week old rats two types of glandular cells can be distinguished: A-cells and B-cells. At this time the more numerous A-cells are less vacuolated than the B-cells. When the rats have opened their eyes (14th day) conspicuous changes in the morphology of the Harderian gland become evident: There is a pronounced increase in secretory activity, in cytoplasmic vacuolation (particularly of the A-cells) in cell height and in the diameters of the tubular endpieces. At the end of the 2nd week the occurrence of a third cell type (C-cells) with pale cytoplasm and pycnotic nucleus is observed. C-cells are interpreted to be necrobiotic A-cells or B-cells. It is considered that the Harderian gland might have not only an apocrine (or merocrine ?) but also a holocrine mode of secretion. At the 9th day the first yellowish-brown pigment granules can be observed in some of the glandular lumina. One day earlier some areas of the gland (unstained kryostat sections) exhibit a pink fluorescence in ultra-violet light, indicating the presence of porphyrin. The pigmentation of the gland reaches highest intensity about the 3rd and 4th postnatal weeks. Sex dimorphism with respect to pigmentation has not been stated. From the histogenesis there was also no support for a sex dependent function of the Harderian gland. © 1969 Springer-Verlag.