The postnatal development of the sexually dimorphic duct system and of amylase activity in the submandibular glands of mice.

Abstract

The submandibular glands of developing and mature Strong A mice were studied by light and electron microscopy. The glands of both sexes show the same cell types during development, but during maturation the glands display a degree of sex-dimorphism. Striated ducts, which differentiate from the larger intralobular ducts present in the neonatal gland, first appear by 5 days of age and reach their mature condition by 20 days of age. Granular convoluted tubule cells, which differentiate from striated duct cells, are first seen at 15 days of age in both sexes. Subsequently, they show a more rapid development in males than in females, and are dimorphically represented by 20 days of age. Intercalated ducts in the neonatal gland contain nongranular and granular cells. With maturation the number of granular cells decreases, apparently due to their conversion into the nongranular type, with their eventual disappearance from the glands of adult males. Their retention in adult females further defines the sexual dimorphism shown by these glands. Amylase activity in gland homogenates is first detectable at 20 days of age in both sexes. During development the male glands show a rapid rise in levels of amylase activity, whereas female glands show a more gradual rise. In mature animals, male glands have higher levels of amylase activity than female glands. The developmental and adult status of amylase activity parallels that of the granular convoluted tubules.