Microstructure And Ultrastructure Of The Salivary Glands In The Bactrian Camel(Camelus Bactrianus)

To gain the basic histological knowledge of salivary glands in the Bactrian camel, microstructural and ultrastructural features of salivary glands were observed by histological and histochemical methods. The results were as follows.(1) The parotid gland in the Bactrian camel was a compound tubular acinar gland, which has only serous alveoli. The gland was divided into several lobules by well developed connective tissues. The PAS staining shows strong positive reaction and relatively weak positive Alician Blue reaction, indicating that the secretory granules mainly contain neutral mucosubstances and a little acid mucosubstances. Acinar cells contain large amount of rough endoplasmic reticulums near the nuclear and plenty of secretory granules with different appearance and electron density. It is difficult to distinguish the intercalated ducts of the parotid gland from the alveoli under the light microscope. Under the transmission electron microscope, the intercalated ducts can be clearly noticed. The cuboidal epithelium is linked through canaliculus. There exist secretory granules in the intercalated duct cells. The striated duct epithelium cell contains a large number of mitochondria and basal plasmalema foldings. And there are many secretory granules exist in the striated duct epithelium cell.(2) The mandibular gland in the Bactrian camel was a compound tubular acinar gland, which has mixed acini. Both the demilunes and the mucous acini showed positive reaction to PAS and AB. The duct system was weekly reacted to the PAS staining and negative with AB. The mucous acini cell contains large amount of secretory granules. The intercalated duct was composed of cuboidal epithelium. There exist secretory granules in the apical part of the intercalated duct cells. myoepithelial cells were found arounding the acini and the intercalated duct. The striated duct consists of columnar epithelium, which contains secretory granules in the apical as well.(3) The sublingual gland in the Bactrian camel was a compound tubular acinar gland, which is composed mostly of mucous acinus. The gland was divided into several lobules by well developed connective tissues. Both the PAS staining and the Alician Blue reaction show strong positive reaction, indicating that the secretory granules contain both neutral mucosubstances and acid mucosubstances. Acinar cells contain large amount of mucous granules. The intercalated duct consists of cuboidal epithelium, and the epithelium is linked by desmosomes. The TEM observations show that the duct cells contain secretory granules. The striated duct is columnar epithelium, which contains basal plasmalema foldings. And there is not any secretory granules in the striated duct epithelium cell.