[Transformation of secretory cylindrial cells into ciliar cells in the epithelium of the human uterine cervix (functional transformation of highly differentiated cells)].

By electron microscopical investigations of the cylindrical epithelium of the human cervix uteri we could show that in ciliar cells a regeneration of ciliars is possible. There is a discussion about the question whether the pinching off of ciliars is the beginning of a transformation process into a secretory cell. The functional change of secretory cells to ciliar cells becomes obvious by the existence of so-called granulo-filamentary bodies in the cytoplasm of ciliar cells. These bodies grow by a granulo-filamentary transformation of secretory granules. As these granulo-filamentary bodies do not take place in the extrusion process but stay in the cytoplasm they may thus be used as an indicator which shows the finished transformation process of a secretory cell into a ciliar cell.