Glycoconjugate distribution in the human fundic mucosa revealed by lectin- and glycoprotein-gold cytochemistry

Abstract

The glycoconjugates of the human fundic mucosa were characterized at the ultrastructural level by means of direct (Helix pomatia agglutinin-gold complex) and indirect lectin techniques (Concanavalin A and horseradish peroxidase-gold complex; wheat germ agglutinin and ovomucoid-gold complex). Surface mucous cells and mucous neck cells secreted O-glycoproteins with N-acetylgalactosamine and N-acetylglucosamine residues at the non reducing terminus of the saccharidic chain. The secretory granules of the mucous neck cells showed condensed areas slightly reactive to ConA. The results obtained in the chief cells suggest that these cells secrete N-glycoproteins rich in mannose and/or glucose residues. "Transitional cells", presenting both morphological characteristics and lectin binding pattern intermediate to the mucous neck and chief cells have been observed. The surface of the intracellular canaliculi of the parietal cell was labelled by HPA, WGA and ConA. In the neck region of the gastric glands, immature parietal cells containing abundant mucous granules reactive to HPA, WGA and ConA were observed. The present results further corroborate the existence of a common cell precursor for surface mucous, mucous neck and parietal cells. In a further step, mucous neck cells gradually differentiate into chief cells the transitional cells being an intermediate stage.

N- andO-linked Oligosaccharides in the Secretory Granules of Rat Paneth Cells: An Ultrastructural Cytochemical Study

“…Mean particle diameter was checked by an IMCO 10 image analyzer computer (Kontron Bildanalyse; Eching, Germany) with Microm Image Processing Software (Microm; Barcelona, Spain). HPA-and UEA-I-gold complexes were prepared as reported previously (Martínez-Menárguez et al 1993: Madrid et al 1990). …”

“…Histochemical staining with HRP-labeled lectins (WGA, HPA, UEA-I, and LTA) was performed as reported previously (Madrid et al 1989(Madrid et al ,1990. AAA-DIGlabeled lectin was also used according to Sata et al (1990) and Martínez-Menárguez et al (1993).…”

“…For lectin cytochemistry one-step, two-step, and three-step methods were used. (a) The one-step method was used for HPA-and UEA-I-gold complex as previously described (Madrid et al 1990Martínez-Menárguez et al 1993). The dilution of the lectin gold complex was 1:25 for HPA-gold and 1:8 for UEA-Igold complex.…”

“…The dilution of the lectin gold complex was 1:25 for HPA-gold and 1:8 for UEA-Igold complex. (b) The two-step method was used for WGA (Castells et al 1992;Madrid et al 1990;Roth 1983a,b;Geoghegan and Ackerman 1977). As second layer, ovomucoid-gold complex was used (dilution 1:50).…”

Immunohistochemical Examination of the Relationship Between Two Types of Mucous Neck Cell and the Intermediate Cells in the Rat Fundic Gland

“…It has been reported that the mucous neck cells are the precursors of chief cells, and that they are converted to chief cells via intermediate cells, which have characteristics of both mucous neck cells and chief cells (Townsend, 1961;Hunt and Hunt, 1962;Helander, 1969;Hattori and Fujita, 1976;Tamura and Fujita, 1983;Suzuki et al 1983;Cornaggia et al 1986; Ihida et al 1988; Kantani and Kataoka, 1989;Madrid et al 1990) In general, mucous neck cells are considered histochemically to be cells that stain positively for the PAS reaction, the GSA II reaction and upon paradox staining by Con A (Sheahan and Jervis, 1976;Wattel and Geuze, 1977;Katsuyama and Spicer, 1978;Ihida et al 1988). We reported that two types of mucous neck cell [containing alcian blue (pH 2.5) positive acidic mucin or containing hematoxylin (pH 6) positive neutral mucin (Akita et al 1985)1 can be observed in the region close to the cardia (Kaneko et al 1987).…”