title: Histochemical study of magellanic penguin (Spheniscus magellanicus) minor salivary glands during postnatal growth.
abstract: The histological and histochemical features of the minor salivary glands during postnatal development have been generally associated with the type of food ingested. However, recent studies support the fact that these salivary glands develop independently of the diet; in fact, minor salivary glands have similar morphological and histochemical characteristics in adult individuals of species with different diet regimens. Thus, the aim of this study was to characterize the developmental morphology of the penguin minor salivary glands and to contrast them with minor salivary glands of other species. The tongue, palatine, and mouth cavity (bottom) minor salivary glands of newborn, 1- to 20-day-old, and adult magellanic penguins were studied with hematoxylin-eosin, periodic acid-Schiff, alcian blue, toluidine blue, and lectin histochemistry. Minor salivary glands were present at all ages, although they were only moderately developed in animals less than 15 days old. After this age, glands were abundant in all age groups; in addition, cells from the glandular epithelium were functionally mature and secreted mucins. Nevertheless, in newborn to 15-day-old penguins, mucins were located only at the apical cytoplasm of mucous cells. In all ages, mucous cells displayed periodic acid-Schiff-positive, alcianophilic, and metachromatic reactions; among mucous cells, other orthochromatic cells appeared interspersed. From 15 days on, histochemical reactions became more intense until adulthood, and the cytoplasm of secretory cells was filled with glycoproteins and sulfomucins. Moreover, lectins bound to different oligosaccharides in mucous cells, depending on the stage of maturation of the glands. In conclusion, penguin minor salivary glands are already present at birth, and show progressive and quantitative increases in mucous secretion during postnatal development. These changes are necessary not only for nutrient ingestion, but also for nonimmune protection of the buccal cavity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Histology, Embryology and Genetics, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Argentina.
authors.forename: M E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Samar
authors.forename: R E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Avila
authors.forename: S P
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: De Fabro
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Porfirio
authors.forename: F J
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Esteban
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Pedrosa
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Peinado
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000818:Animals; D001717:Birds / Q000254:growth & development*; D005260:Female; D006023:Glycoproteins / Q000032:analysis; D006651:Histocytochemistry; D037102:Lectins / Q000032:analysis; D008297:Male; D009077:Mucins / Q000032:analysis; D009844:Oligosaccharides / Q000032:analysis; D012470:Salivary Glands, Minor / Q000737:chemistry / Q000254:growth & development*