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Effect Of Duct Obstruction On Structure, Elemental Composition, And Function Of Rat Submandibular Glands, Samuel Sagström, Gun-Britt Sagulin, Godfried M. Roomans

Scanning Microscopy

Obstruction of salivary glands occurs in association with a number of pathological conditions. It has been suggested that the major changes found in the salivary glands of patients with cystic fibrosis are due to obstruction of the excretory duct by viscous mucus. In the present study, the effect of excretory duct obstruction on structure, elemental composition and function of rat submandibular gland was investigated. Obstruction was effected by infusion of a fast-hardening protein emulsion in the main excretory duct. After 1 week, and more pronounced after 2 weeks of obstruction the number of granular duct cells had decreased in the …

The Lectin-Gold Technique: An Overview Of Applications To Pathological Problems, P. Versura, M. C. Maltarello, F. Bonvicini, R. Laschi

Scanning Microscopy

Lectins are proteins, mainly of vegetal origin, which recognize glycosidic residues with high specificity; for this property they have been used for many studies of molecular biology. The colloidal gold represents at present the most popular electron dense marker employed in immunocytochemistry, since it offers intrinsic and unique characteristics which are superior to those displayed by the other markers.

The cytochemical method which utilizes the gold-labelled lectins takes advantages from both the two systems, in order to optimize the localization of the glycoconjugates.

The present paper reviews both the technical aspects of the preparation of the lectin-gold complex and its …

X-Ray Microanalysis Of Mammalian Salivary Glands, Godfried M. Roomans, R. Margareta Müller, Samuel Sagström, Gun-Britt Sagulin, Susan M. Scarlett, Joanna Wroblewski, Maria Albertsson

Scanning Microscopy

X-ray microanalysis was used to study the elemental composition of major salivary glands in rat and man. The elemental composition of the acinar cells is influenced by a variety of factors. Stimulation of fluid secretion by cholinergic, α-adrenergic or peptidergic agonists leads to a sustained increase of the Na/K ratio. The elemental composition and ultrastructure of the acinar cells of rat submandibular gland, as well as flow rate and composition of pilocarpinestimulated submandibular saliva are significantly affected by thyroxine, but less by the synthetic glucocorticoid dexamethasone. Hypercalcemia (induced by chronic vitamin D treatment) as well as hypocalcemia (induced by calcitonin) …