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Ultrastructure of submucosal glands in human anterior middle nasal turbinates

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  19 October 2000

BERNARD TANDLER
Affiliation:
Department of Biological Sciences and Institute of Environmental and Human Health, Texas Tech University, USA
DAVID R. EDELSTEIN
Affiliation:
Department of Otolaryngology, Manhattan Eye and Ear Hospital, New York, USA
ROBERT A. ERLANDSON
Affiliation:
Department of Pathology, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, USA
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Abstract

The abundant glands situated in the lamina propria of the human anterior middle nasal turbinate were complex tubules that consist of serous, seromucous, and mucous cells, either singly or in combination. Serous granules were homogeneously dense, but could have a small lighter core. Seromucous granules had a dense rim and a large compartment of appreciably lighter density. Gradation between serous and seromucous granules made precise identification of these secretory cell types difficult. Mucous cells were of conventional morphology. The secretory tubules, which possessed a complement of myoepithelial cells, gradually transformed into ducts or the changeover was relatively sudden. The ductular portions of the tubules consisted either of tall prismatic cells or of shorter columnar cells, both of which lacked secretory granules, but had many mitochondria in their supranuclear cytoplasm. In many cases the ducts, for most of their length, consisted of secretory cells. These glands clearly participate in the elaboration of the glycoconjugate coat that serves to protect the nasal mucosa and keeps it from drying out.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
© Anatomical Society of Great Britain and Ireland 2000

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