Abstract
Jin CS, Majima Y, Hamaguchi Y, Takeuchi K, Sakakura Y. Quantitative histochemical study of secretory cells after short term tubal obstruction in the cat. Acta Otolaryngol (Stockh) 1991; 111: 515-523.
Quantitative histochemistry of goblet cells producing different types of glycoproteins was examined in cat middle ears with and without Euatachian tube obstruction (ETO). the goblet cell population significantly increased at 1 week after ETO and showed a tendency to decrease down to the normal level at 4 weeks after ETO. in the normal ears, approximately 85% of glycoprotein in the secretory cells were sulphated and 15% were neutral. ETO significantly increased goblet cell population containing sulphated glycoprotein at the expense of neutral glycoprotein. the results indicate that goblet cells can easily and within a short period be modified both in number and in intracellular glycoproteins by a tubal obstruction.