Ultrastructural evidence for a direct connection between the myocardial granules and the sarcoplasmic reticulum in the cardiac ventricle of Myxine glutinosa (L.).

The occurrence of structural connections between myocardial granules and tubular elements of the sarcoplasmic reticulum in the cardiac ventricle of the Atlantic hagfish is described. The core substance of the myocardial granules is shown to be uranophilic and in this respect similar to the granular cores within the lumen of the sarcoplasmic reticulum. After application of CaCl2-containing fixatives, the ultrastructure of the core substance of these organelles resembles that described for calcium-containing structures in vertebrate glial cells. Incidences of uranophilic core substance in the extracellular space suggest a secretory function of the myocardial granules. Possible implications of the sarcoplasmic reticulum and the myocardial granules in storage, intracellular transport, and secretion of bound calcium are discussed.