Skein cells in lamprey epidermis

Abstract

The fine structure of the so-called club cells in lamprey skin shows that they are modified basal layer epidermal cells and therefore are not homologous with the club cells of teleost skin which are unicellular secretory elements. It is proposed that the cell type in lampreys be renamed "skein cell"; this term is indicative of the structure. It is noted that tonofilaments in bundles are united into a meshwork by apparent adhesion between individual filaments, so enhancing their efficiency as a cytoskeleton. The function of the skein cells may be to provide support against distortion in the soft mucigenic epidermis and to protect the germinative cells.