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THE BASAL OR INDIFFERENT CELL AND THE CILIARY VACUOLE IN THE OVIDUCAL EPITHELIUM OF THE LONG-TONGUED BAT, GLOSSOPHAGA SORICINA

Summary.: New observations have been made on the origins of the basal or indifferent cell and the ciliary vacuole or `Flimmerblase' in the oviducal epithelium. Initially, the basal cells possess metachromatic granules and are Alcian blue-positive. It is proposed that they arise primarily from connective tissue mast cells which migrate into the epithelium and undergo degranulation. Their ultimate fate appears to be to dissolve within the epithelium. Evidence against their function as a precursor cell for the ciliated and secretory cells is presented.

Ciliary vacuoles appear to develop from spaces left primarily by eosinophilic leucocytes and/or mast cells which have migrated into the epithelium and undergone dissolution. Cilia then grow into the spaces.