Electron microscopic observations on vacuolated neurons in starved Rana esculenta

An electron microscopic study of the brains of normal and starved individuals of Rana esculenta L. showed that some neurons from the posterior septal area of the telencephalon of the starved animals contain clear vacuoles, up to 3 μ in diameter. The electron micrographs show that the vacuoles derive from small ones present in the dense bodies/lysosomes/ by their enlargement and vacuolar transformation of the dense bodies. The vacuoles generally are membrane‐bound, but also membrane‐less ones can be found. In the latter case the shape of the vacuoles in irregular and they form villus‐like ramifications in the cytoplasm. These ramifications of the outer dense material appear to be dissolving in the cytoplasm or transforming into small vesicles.