The ultrastructure of the interfollicular epidermis of the hairless (hr/hr) mouse. IV. Lamellated bodies (Odland bodies, membrane-coating granules) and intercellular material in the upper part of the granular and horny layers.

The appearance of the lamellated bodies (Odland bodies, membrane-coating granules, keratinosomes) and intercellular material in the upper part of the granular and horny layers of the interfollicular epidermis of the hairless mouse was studied. In order to obtain more information about these structures various fixation procedures were used. The bodies displayed a lamellated pattern after osmication and uneven staining of the lamellae was seen after osmium zinc iodide fixation. Glutaraldehyde fixation made the bodies appear electron-empty except for some electron-dense material mainly at their periphery. These observations indicate that the bodies are mainly composed of lipids. The bodies were discharged to the intercellular space in tthe upper part of the granular layer where they disintegrated. The appearance of the intercellular space in the horny layer varied considerably with the fixation procedure indicating that artefacts were produced during the processing of the specimens. Based on the observations after various fixation methods it is suggested that the intercellular space in vivo is completely filled with a substance which stained weakly osmiophilic. In this substance very osmiophilic structures of various shapes and sizes may be present.