title: Immunocytochemical demonstration of quantitative differences in the distribution of lysozyme in human airway secretory granule phenotypes.
abstract: The distribution of lysozyme in the different secretory granules (SG) of human tracheal and bronchial submucosal gland serous cells was studied by light and electron microscopy, using a post-embedding immunogold technique. SG were differentiated into 5 phenotypes according to their structure and staining electron density. All the SG-phenotypes were reactive to lysozyme. In the heterogeneous SG-phenotypes, quantitative immunocytochemistry showed that the density of lysozyme labeling was significantly higher in the electron-dense central core compared to the electron-lucent peripheral rim. At the tracheal level, the density of lysozyme did not vary significantly within the different SG-phenotypes, whereas at the bronchial level, the differences were significant. Moreover, the lysozyme labeling density was much higher in the bronchial than in the tracheal SG.
authors.affiliation: INSERM U 314, Reims, France.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hinnrasky
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Chevillard
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Puchelle
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001980:Bronchi / Q000166:cytology / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D003594:Cytoplasmic Granules / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry / Q000379:methods; D008854:Microscopy, Electron / Q000379:methods; D009113:Muramidase / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*; D010641:Phenotype; D014132:Trachea / Q000166:cytology / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000648:ultrastructure
chemical_list: D009113:Muramidase