Polyploidy promotes Harderian glands function under photo-oxidative stress in desert rodents
Abstract
The presence of higher-ploidy cells within Harderian glands (HG) of desert rodents could be explained as an adaptive response to mitigate the effects of photo-oxidative stress. The principally products of HG are porphyrins, pigmentary accretions which interact with the intense luminosity of the Sahara and, then produce reactive oxygen species. Thus, the gland permanently suffers a physiological oxidative stress, with a great number of sings of degeneration, but without compromising the gland integrity. In this work, we used light and transmission electron microscopy to examine the morphological features of cell ploidy in HG of three species of Gerbillidae. Psamomys obesus, Meriones lybicus and Gerbillus tarabuli. The results showed that, the glands of these species are large in size and lobulated. The glandular parenchyma consists of tubulo-alveoli surrounding a lumen into which the secretions are discharged. Frequently cells are binucleated and multinucleated. Transmission electron microscopy reveals the presence of secretory cells with conspicuous nuclei and sometimes with micronuclei. Binuclear cells are created by acytokinetic mitosis. No cell membranes within the cytoplasm are observed. Our results provide morphological evidences, that HG of desert rodents employ polyploidy as cellular adaptive response to extreme arid environment.
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