An ultrastructural study of the mitotic preosteoblasts in the primary spongiosa of the rat mandibular condyle.

In this study, we observed mitotic preosteoblasts that have the structural features of osteoblasts in the primary spongiosa of the rat mandibular condyle. The rough endoplasmic reticulum and the Golgi apparatus showed remarkable disorganization during mitosis. The Golgi saccules were replaced by groups of large vacuoles and small vesicles. The cisternae of the rough endoplasmic reticulum also were vacuolized. Since this disorganization occurred in conjunction with the formation of the mitotic spindle, it is probably related to the changes of the microtubular cytoskeleton. Further, secretory granules were arrayed along the mitotic spindle microtubules at the metaphase, and concentrated around the midbody at the telophase. These findings indicate a close relationship exists between secretory granules and microtubules.