Protein Crystals

Protein accumulations in the form of protein crystals exist in several different mammalian cells. In humans, for example, they occur in the intermediary cells of the testes. While these paracrystalline bodies can have a multitude of forms, morphologically they are always characterized by a more or less definite geometric organization. The figure on the right depicts crystalline inclusions of different sizes and structures 1 in an epithelial cell from sheep chorion. Crystalline bodies also exist in mitochondria, peroxisomes and in eosinophil granulocytes..

1 Paracrystalline bodies

2 Glycogen particles

Electron microscopy; magnification: × 50 000

References

Kuehnel, W.(2003). Color Atlas of Cytology, Histology, and Microscopic Anatomy. 4^th edition . Institute of Anatomy Universitätzu Luebeck Luebeck, Germany . Thieme Stuttgar t · New York .