Electron Microscopic Studies of Satellite Cells in the Cardiac Muscle of Brachyura.

During the course of an electron microscopic study of the skeletal muscle fiber of frogs, Mauro (1961) discovered the presence of peculiar cells, lying between the plasma membrane and the basement membrane of the muscle fiber, and called them satellite cells. According to him, upon alerting other investigators to this finding, similar cells were found in electron micrographs of other skeletal muscle fibers. Mauro suggested that these cells might be pertinent to the regeneration of the skeletal muscle. The present paper deals with the fine structures of similar cells found in the brachyuran cardiac muscle and may help to solve some of the problems associated with the physiological phenomena of the heart.