Intracellular distribution of mucosubstances in the major sublingual gland of the rat.

Abstract

AbstractThe intracellular distribution of mucosubstances in the acinar cells of the rat sublingual gland has been studied at the electron microscopic level by means of two histochemical techniques: PA‐silver methenamine for the detection of vicinal glycols and colloidal thorium for the detection of polyanions. By both methods the secretory granules in the mucous acinar cells were selectively stained. The reaction products were visualized as dense closely packed precipitates covering the entire matrix of the individual mucous granules. Similar reaction products were also often observed within the Golgi apparatus of the mucous cells. In striking contrast, the secretory granules and Golgi apparatus of the demilunar cells exhibited no demonstrable selective staining by either method. It is concluded that the secretory granules of the mucous acinar cells are largely composed of mucosubstances containing vicinal glycols and polyanions and that the secretory granules in demilunar cells contain no demonstrable content of such mucosubstances.