Ultrastructural morphometric study of sex dimorphism in cells of the ductus granulosus of the submandibular glands of mice

: The sexual dimorphism in the secretory cell of the granular convolated tubule of mouse submandibular gland was morphometrically studied in light and electronic microscope level. In semithin sections (0.5 micron) the nuclear volume (Bach, 1963) and the fractions of cellular volume occupied by the nucleus and by cytoplasm were determined (Chalkley, 1943). In twenty electronmicrographs per animal with a final magnification of x 15.000, using the Weibel's et al. (1966) multiproposition test system, were obtained relatives morphometrics data, which multiplied by the cytoplasmatic volume provided us the respective absolute values. The results showed a presence of a sexual dimorphism at subcellular level. The secretory cell of the male is higher and exhibit a greater volume when compared with that cells of the female. In the male that cells are characterized by a higher total volume of the endoplasmic reticulum, Golgi complex and secretory granules. The secretory granules and the condensation vacuoles size are more developed in male cells. The female secretory granular cells exhibit a greater absolute number of the condensation vacuoles and secretory granules, as well as, a higher mitochondria total volume and surface.