Differences in Innervation and Secretory Behaviour of Two Nasal Glandular Parts in the Rat

Abstract

The submucosal glands in the rat nose are characterized by the presence of both neutral and acid glycoproteins, which are important constituents of nasal and tracheobronchial secretions. This study is an attempt to gain a better insight into the secretion of these two types of glycoproteins and its neural regulation. Radiobiochemical experiments show a higher sensitivity to methacholine of the nasal glandular region producing acid glycoproteins than the area secreting neutral glycoproteins. Radioligand receptor binding suggests that the binding parameters of the muscarinic receptors in these two areas are mutually different. Furthermore, rat nasal glandular muscarinic receptors appear to be different from those in smooth muscle of rat ileum.

Neuronal Nitric Oxide Synthase-Immunoreactivity

“…NOS activity has been shown to be different in distinct segments of the rat kidney [24]. Our results support previous studies, in which histochemical differences in the innervation pattern of human nasal acini and gland ducts were described [25] and the reaction to the application of various doses of metacholine, a muscarinic receptor stimulator, was different in distinct parts of the glandular compartment [26]. These observations might give an indication of a NOSrelated 'subdivision' in the glandular compartment.…”