Stereocilia

A tubule from the male reproductive tract is lined by a pseudostratified epithelium with stereocilia.  Stereocilia are long (greater than one micron), non-motile extensions of the apical plasma membrane that have the same internal structure as microvilli.  Like microvilli, they contain a core of microfilaments.  As seen here, tufts of stereocilia often appear flame-shaped.  Epididymis  1000x

A tubule from the male reproductive tract is lined by a pseudostratified epithelium with stereocilia.  Stereocilia are long (greater than one micron), non-motile extensions of the apical plasma membrane that have the same internal structure as microvilli.  Like microvilli, they contain a core of microfilaments.  As seen here, tufts of stereocilia often appear flame-shaped.  Epididymis  1000x

A tubule from the male reproductive tract is lined by a pseudostratified epithelium with stereocilia.  Stereocilia are long (greater than one micron), non-motile extensions of the apical plasma membrane that have the same internal structure as microvilli.  Like microvilli, they contain a core of microfilaments.  As seen here, tufts of stereocilia often appear flame-shaped.  Epididymis  1000x

A tubule from the male reproductive tract is lined by a pseudostratified epithelium with stereocilia.  Stereocilia are long (greater than one micron), non-motile extensions of the apical plasma membrane that have the same internal structure as microvilli.  Like microvilli, they contain a core of microfilaments.  As seen here, tufts of stereocilia often appear flame-shaped.  Epididymis  1000x

The terminal bar is the light microscopic term for the junctional complex, consisting of zonula occludens, zonula adherens and desmosome (macula adherens).  The terminal bar appears as a small, red dot at the luminal surface of adjacent epithelial cells.