BULGING MESOTHELIAL CELLS OF THE VISCERAL PLEURA OF THE RAT MIMIC THE NETWORK OF SUBPLEURAL LYMPHATICS

Abstract

The mesothelial surface of the visceralpleura of the Wistar rat was viewed at highresolution by scanning electron microscopy(SEM). The pleural surface showed exquisitelinear arrangements made up of bulgingmesothelial cells. They were organized inirregular circles that often presentedanastomotic junctures. This arrangement ofpleural mesothelial cells mimics the organizationofsubpleural lymphatics of the lung.A low density of microvilli was seen inside theirregular circles, contrasting with themicrovilli-rich mesothelial cells seen on oroutside these arrangements. These SEMfeatures of the mesothelium may be relatedwith the formation of microdomains for fluidabsorption across the visceral pleura intosubpleural lymphatics.