Meningothelial rosettes in the canine subarachnoid space.

A previously unrecognized type of rosette consisting of meningothelial cells is reported. Meningothelial clusters with a formation of numerous rosettes were incidentally observed in the canine subarachnoid space after single subarachnoid injection of 0.2 mg/kg of epinephrine. Light microscopy revealed that the cell clusters with distinct rosettes occurred in the extensive cords and nests, surrounding the small subarachnoid arteries or adhering to the arachnoid epithelium. There were scattered mast cells adjacent to the cell clusters. Electron microscopy revealed that the rosettes usually consisted of four to 12 tightly packed cells which were arranged like spokes and contained concentrations of tonofilaments. The rosette cells were knitted together by numerous junctional devices, such as desmosomes and desmosome-like junctions as well as a small number of interdigitations at the lateral surfaces toward the central core. The latter measured approximately 0.77-12.72 micron in long diameter, containing electron-dense, coarsely granular material. Both intracytoplasmic and extracellular inclusions with projecting microvilli were reminiscent of hyaline inclusions in certain meningiomas.