Structure of mucous cells in salivary glands

Histology, Histochemistry and Fine Structure of the Lacrimal and Nictitans Gland in the South American ArmadilloChaetophractus villosus (Xenarthra, Mammalia)

“…If we adopt the morphological and histochemical criteria established by some authors (Pinkstaff, 1993;Tandler, 1993;Tandler and Phillips, 1993;Tandler et al, 1994), our armadillos possess three types of glandular cells: MC, SMC and SC. The MC mainly show three types of mucous secretory granules.…”

Ultrastructure of the salivary glands in the midtongue of the common vampire bat,Desmodus rotundus

“…The glands that form the basis for the present study are mixed, consisting of both mucous and seromucous endpieces. Those cells that we identified as mucous conform to classic mucous cells, at least in terms of their light microscopic appearance (Tandler, 1993a). Those cells we identified as seromucous have granules that are to an extent similar in ultrastructure to those in the acinar cells of the vampire bat parotid gland (Tandler et al, 1997), which has been histochemically characterized as seromucous (DiSanto, 1960); they differ markedly in substructure from either mucous (Tandler, 1993a) or serous granules (Tandler and Phillips (1993).…”

“…The mucous droplets in the mid-lingual glands of Desmodus are ultrastructurally different from all other mucous secretions we have encountered in more than 230 species of bats and in the published literature (Tandler, 1993a). Whether this morphology reflects an unusual biochemical composition or is just a random happenstance is unknown at the present time.…”

“…8), are variable in density from one mucous cell to another, echoing the situation in human labial salivary glands (Tandler et al, 1967). In some cells, they are somewhat denser in content than are those in typical mucous cells (Tandler, 1993a). The bulk of individual droplets consists of dense, punctate material.…”

“…The closest match in terms of substructure to the seromucous granules of the midlingual glands of the vampire bat in the now extensive gallery of secretory granules (see, e.g., Tandler and Phillips, 1993;Tandler, 1993a) are those in the anterior buccal gland of the rat, Rattus norvegicus (Nicholas and Redman, 1985). In this organ, mucous droplets also have a biphasic appearance, with dense areas consisting of compacted flocculent material, commingled with lighter ones containing dispersed filaments.…”