Fenestrated cisternae in the Golgi apparatus of the epididymis

Attention is directed toward the occurrence of fenestrations or pores in Golgi cisternae of rat and mouse epididymis. There is a gradation in the degree of cisternal fenestration within a Golgi complex. Cisternae at the convex pole are highly flattened and contain few pores, but those near the concave side are distended and exhibit a large number of roughly circular fenestrations 300–600 Å in diameter. Cisternae in the middle of a stack often have an unperforated central portion that is surrounded by a fenestrated and expanded peripheral region. The structure of these Golgi complexes is compared with previous descriptions of Golgi cisternae, particularly the fenestrated cisternae reported in plant cells.