Lamellar bodies

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Alveolar type II cell. The lamellar bodies can be seen leaving the surface of the cell.

Lamellar bodies (or keratinosomes) are secretory organelles found in type II pneumocytes and in keratinocytes.

In pneumocytes, the choline-based phospholipids that are stored in the lamellar bodies, serve as pulmonary surfactant after being released from the cell.

In the stratum spinosum layer of the epidermis, lamellar bodies are released from keratinocytes into the intercellular spaces to form an impermeable, lipid-containing sheet that serves to form a water barrier.