The author used the subm a xillary glands of mice which stimulated the secretion of saliva by the subcutaneous injection of pilocarpine. And changes with the lapse of time after injection were observed cytologically and histo- and cytochemically, the following results were obtained.
1. The terminal portion of the submaxillary glands of mice is divided into the glands consisting of clear cells and those consisting of dark cells. In the process of the secretion of the clear cells, stainable granules are observed, but in the dark cells the stainable granules are not observed.
2. On the changes in polysaccharide by PAS staining, PAS positive substance in the cytoplasm, the basement membrane and other tissues decrease throughout from the beginning of the secretion to the end.
3. Alkaline phosphatase is very intense in its activity in the basement membrane and in the capillaries. The activity in the cytoplasm is temporarily strengthened immediately after the onset of secretion but it becomes weak with the lapse of time. The activity in the capillaries is almost constant.
4. The activity i n acid phosphatase is more intense in the cytoplasm of the clear cells than in that of the dark cells. Besides, the activity in the apical portion of the cell is more intense than that in the base. Though generally the activity in acid phosphatase is temporarily strengthened immediately after the onset of the secretion and it gradually becomes weak with the lapse of time, the activity of the nucleus becomes hardly low.
5. A lot of RNA is contained in the cytoplasm of the glandular cells, and its variety in quantity is about the same as the formation of the stainable granules in protein staining. This fact shows that RNA has to do with the synthesis of protein.
The author wishes to express his sincere thanks to Prof. T. Taniguchi for his criticism. This study was performed under the project of Instructor M. Jhnuma.
View full abstract