Glands of the human nasal mucosa--electron microscopy and immunohistochemical studies

Abstract

Ultrastructural characteristics of the nasal glands are presented and possible changes concerning different diseases of the nasal mucosa are investigated. Specimens from 23 patients suffering from primary ciliary dyskinesia, allergic rhinopathy, and chronic inflammatory hyperplasia were the subject of electron microscopic and immunohistochemical studies. All preparations exclusively showed glands of the serous type. The end segments of the glands were surrounded by contractile myoepithelial cells in a basket-like fashion. Distinct differences in the fine structure of the glands were not observed between the individual groups. The epithelial cells of the efferent ducts consisted of numerous rows forming one layer with pronounced interlockings. These cells in particular showed a high content of mitochondria. This segment of the duct probably has the function of changing the content of water and ions in the nasal secretion. Our immunofluorescence and electronmicroscopic investigations present the ultrastructure of the nasal glands in detail. We assume an influence of the efferent ducts on the composition of the nasal secretion.