The fine structure of lipofuscin in the mouse hippocampus.

Lipofuscin was ultrastructurally evaluated in the hippocampus of C57B1/6 male mice at 8, 14, 20 and 24 months of age. The mice were anesthetized, perfused intracardially with 3% glutaraldhyde, and routinely processed for transmission electron microscopic evaluation. Lipofuscin was found in the hippocampus of mice of all age groups. Granules were small and randomly dispersed in the younger animals with clustered complexes being present in the older ones. Lipofuscin was present in neurons, neuroglia, and endothelial cells. Pigment granules in the older mice were observed adjacent to capillaries, were found in vacuolating cytoplasmic structures of pericytes but were not associated with microtubules. This morphological evidence supports the normal removal of lipofuscin from the central nervous system by phagocytosis and enzymatic digestion.