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The species of the slug used in the experiment is Limax flavus L. For identifying the chemical characteristics of the epidermis, granules and mucus-producing cell of this animal is examined with methylene blue-basic fuchsin double stain and PAS-alcian blue reagent. For the ultrastructural research of the epidermal free surface, the epitheial cell and the parenchymal cell are used with scanning electron microscope and transmission elec-tron microscope respectively. I . Epidermal tissue The epidermal tissue of the slug is observed being divided into the dorsal and the ventral side(toot pad) respectively. 1) Dorsal epidermal tissue The dorsal epidermis of the slug is constituted with the simple columnar epithelium and the microvilli are compacted on the epidermal free surface. Two different types of the secretory granules of the neutral and the acid mucus are observed between the epithelial cells, and the neutral mucous granules are highest electron-dense but the acid mucous granules are observed to be electron-lucent. 2) Foot epidermal tissue The Foot epidermis is formed with the taller simple columnar epithelium than the dorsal epidermis and these cells have both a large number of the microvilli and a few number of the large villi. The secretory granules of three different types, which are acid, neutral and mixed mucous granule of two different types are observed between the epithelial cells. The neutral mucous granules are highest electron dense but the acid mucous granules are observed to be electron-lucent. II . Mucous granule-producing cell and mucus-producing cells Seven different types of the granules-producing cell and the mucus-producing cells are observed between the parenchyma. 1) A-type of acid mucous granule-producing cell The electron-lucent granules are largely occupied in the cytoplasm of these cells and then the granules are surrounded by irregular membrane. These electron-lucent granules exhibit alcianophilia with PAS-alcian blue reaction, so these granules are certified to be acid mucopolysaccharide. 2) B-type of acid mucus-producing cell The nucleus and the cytoplasm of these cells are pushed by the acid mucus of the electron-lucent toward the cell membrane. This mucus has been confirmed to be the acid mucopolysaccharide with PAS-alcian blue reagent. 3) A-type of neutral mucous granule-producing cell These cells contain the electron-dense round granules with approximately $1{\mu}m$ in diameter, which exhibit strongly PAS-positive reaction. These granules are confirmed to be the neutral mucoplysaccharide. 4) B-type of neutral mucous granule-producing cell These cells contain two different types of electron dense granules and electron-lucent granules; The former exhibits to be strongly PAS-positive and the latter to have alcianophilia reaction respectively. 5) C-type of neutral mucus-producing cell These cells are similar to the shape and the size of the B-type of mucus-producing cell but these two different types of cells are stained with reversing properties to each other. The mucus of the C-type cell that electron-lucent is largely occupied in the cytoplasm that exhibits strongly PAS-positive reaction. 6) D-type of neutral mucous granule-producing cell These cells contain round granules about $1{\mu}m$ in size which are observed to be medium electron-dense granules and those granules are stained brightly red with PAS-weak positive reaction. The granules are certified to be neutral mucopolysaccharide. 7) E-type of neutral mucous granule-producing cell These cells are similar to the shape and the size of the D-type of neutral mucous granule-producing cell. These cells contain a large number of granules with about $1{\mu}m$ in diameter showing electron-lucent and then granules are seen to be PAS-weak positive reaction. III. Parenchyma The clear cell and dark cell are found in the parenchyma of the Limax flavus L. 1) Clear cell These cells are round formed and the nucleus of the cells are larger than cytoplasm. These cells which have the electron-lucent cytosol possess poorly developed organelles. 2) Dark cell These cells are found to be dark cells due to high electron-density, which exhibit strongly methylene-blue reaction from double stain of methylene blue-basic fuchsin.
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