Abstract
By immunoperoxidase technique, human submandibular salivary glands were studied for presence and distribution of various salivary proteins including secretory component (SC), lactoferrin (Lf), lysozyme (Ly), carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) and alpha-l-antitrypsin (α1-AT). All types of these glycoproteins were present in intercalated duct cells which especially showed strong staining intensities for Ly and Lf. Faint staining, for both glycoproteins were also observed in striated ducts. Sc was present in interlobular duct and serous acinar cells but absent in mucous acinar cells. Staining for SC was generally faint or moderate but increased in intensity at the luminal aspect of interlobular duct cells. CEA was mainly located at the luminal surface of both acinar cells and intercalated duct cells. A small amount of α1-AT was observed in the cytoplasm of all types of epithelial cells. These findings indicate that intercalated duct cells carry high activities of productions of various glycoproteins. Moreover, we confirmed that S-100 protein is specific in myoepithelial cells of salivary glands.
