Identification of epithelial cells and fibroblasts in hypophysis intermediate lobe cultures by scanning electron microscopy.

Cell cultures of the rat pituitary intermediate lobe grown for eight days were studied in the scanning electron microscope. The epithelial cells and fibroblasts could be differentiated by the characteristic structures of the cell surface and the cell association features, The epithelial cells were characterized by blebs and rugae, microvilli, and occasionally by some cilia. The surface of the fibroblasts was smooth or bore microvilli. Scanning electron microscopy may provide special information for the characterization of endocrine cell cultures.