Peripolar cells in the avian kidney.

Four white leghorn chickens were injected with furosemide (20 mg per kg body weight) three times at 12 h intervals and the kidneys fixed by perfusion after 36 h. Five chickens were injected with DOCA (desoxycortone trimethylacetate, 75 mg per kg body weight) three times at 12 day intervals and the kidneys fixed by perfusion after 36 days. Serial sections from the kidneys of these two groups of birds were made and the number of peripolar cells recorded. These recordings were compared with the number of peripolar cells in four normal, untreated chickens. A significant increase in the number of peripolar cells was recorded in the furosemide treated group. No significant change was seen in the DOCA treated group. However, in the DOCA-group heavily granulated podocytes were found. No distinct morphological difference was found between the granules in the podocytes and the granules in the peripolar cells. A possible lysosomal nature of the peripolar cell granules is discussed.