Role of the Reticular Cells During Maturation Process of the Erythroblast

Summary Through electron microscopic observations of the normal mouse spleen, the following findings were obtained concerning denucleation mechanism of the erythroblast: 1. In mice the nuclei of the erythroblasts are denucleated by phagocytic activity of the reticular cell, located in the center of the erythroblastic islets. In a physiologic state, this mechanism is considered to be playing the main role in denucleation. 2. The protoplasmic projection of the reticular cell compresses and makes an infolding between the head and body of the orthochromatic erythroblast, and finally the head is cut off and phagocytized by this reticular cell, leaving the body to develop into a reticulocyte.