title: Histochemical analysis of secretory vesicles in nongoblet conjunctival epithelial cells.
abstract: An Alcian-blue/Periodic acid Schiff reagent (AB/PAS) pH dependent staining method was used to identify the mucus content of secretory vesicles of non-goblet epithelial cells of the human conjunctiva. Twenty subjects were selected for biopsy of the midcentral upper tarsal conjunctiva: 10 subjects had no contact lens wearing experience, and 10 subjects wore contact lenses. Human respiratory epithelium was used as a control for the staining procedure. Four-micron paraffin sections of conjunctival and control tissues were stained with Alcian blue at pH 2.5 and 1.0 and counterstained with PAS. Non-goblet epithelial cell secretory vesicles contained neutral mucin, sialmucin, and sulphomucin. This study provides evidence for a 'second' mucus system of the conjunctiva, that this system is in the non-goblet epithelial cells, and that the mucus of this system has sulphomucins, sialomucins and neutral mucins.
authors.forename: J V
authors.initials: JV
authors.lastname: Greiner
authors.forename: T A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Weidman
authors.forename: D R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Korb
authors.forename: M R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Allansmith
mesh_terms: D003228:Conjunctiva / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D003261:Contact Lenses; D003594:Cytoplasmic Granules / Q000378:metabolism*; D004847:Epithelial Cells; D004848:Epithelium / Q000378:metabolism; D006651:Histocytochemistry; D006801:Humans; D009077:Mucins / Q000378:metabolism*; D009093:Mucus / Q000378:metabolism; D052116:Sialomucins; D013194:Staining and Labeling
chemical_list: D009077:Mucins; D052116:Sialomucins; C012564:sulfomucin