Olfactory epithelium in young adult and aging rats as seen with high-resolution scanning electron microscopy.

The present study uses mainly scanning electron microscopy to demonstrate the three-dimensional internal cell structures of rat olfactory epithelial cells. The aldehyde-prefixed osmium-DMSO-osmium (AODO) method devised by Tanaka and Mitsushima (1984) was applied to the present study to disclose intracellular structures such as endoplasmic reticulum, mitochondria, Golgi apparatus, and lysosomes. The spatial distribution pattern of these structures in olfactory and supporting cells is discussed, paying special attention to the formation of lipofuscin-like granules present in aged rats.