Mucosubstances of the Acini of the Human Lacrimal Gland (Orbital Part)

The mucosubstances of the acini of the human orbital lacrimal gland were examined by applying a battery of histochemical methods to normal gland tissue. The material was obtained during operation and postmortally from persons 20–50 years old. The mucosubstances of the acini were found to be orthochromatic, strongly PAS‐ and PAPS‐positive, strongly alcianophilic and Hale‐positive, to have methylene blue extinction values mainly between pH 3.5 and pH 3, to be hyaluronidase resistant and highly neuraminidase sensitive and partly protein bound. In the periphery of the cytoplasm were found aldehyde fuchsin‐, safranin‐ and high iron diamine‐positive material in small amounts. The findings indicate a high amount of sialic acid and small amounts peripherally of weakly acid sulfated mucopolysaccharides.