The effect of adrenergic stimulation on the glycoconjugate composition in goblet cells of the tracheal epithelium in rabbits
Abstract
To evaluate the influence of adrenergic stimulation on the composition of glycoconjugates in goblet cells, the tracheal epithelium of rabbits was studied 5 minutes and 20 minutes after i.v. administration of epinephrine (10 mug/kg b.w.). Using both conventional (PAS and Alcian Blue) and lectin histochemistry, the percentage of tracheal goblet cells containing neutral, total acidic, sulphated acidic, and sialylated acidic glycoconjugates was evaluated.
A total extinction of both neutral- and sialylated acidic glycoconjugate-containing goblet cells occurred as early as five minutes post exposure. Twenty minutes aft er the administration of epinephrine, neutral glycoconjugate-containing goblet cells were still absent.
Sialylated acidic glycoconjugate-containing goblet cells represented 4.3 +/-6.8%, sulphated acidic glycoconjugate-containing ones represented 95.7 +/-6.8%. Their percentage recovered only slightly.
The administration of epinephrine caused significant changes in the percentage of tracheal goblet cells containing different glycoconjugates 5 and 20 minutes post exposure.