February 1993
Volume 34, Issue 2
Free
Articles  |   February 1993
Histochemical distribution of carbonic anhydrase in rat and rabbit lacrimal gland.
Author Affiliations
  • B B Bromberg
    Department of Biological Sciences, University of New Orleans, LA 70148.
  • M H Welch
    Department of Biological Sciences, University of New Orleans, LA 70148.
  • R W Beuerman
    Department of Biological Sciences, University of New Orleans, LA 70148.
  • S J Chew
    Department of Biological Sciences, University of New Orleans, LA 70148.
  • H W Thompson
    Department of Biological Sciences, University of New Orleans, LA 70148.
  • D Ramage
    Department of Biological Sciences, University of New Orleans, LA 70148.
  • S Githens
    Department of Biological Sciences, University of New Orleans, LA 70148.
Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science February 1993, Vol.34, 339-348. doi:
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      B B Bromberg, M H Welch, R W Beuerman, S J Chew, H W Thompson, D Ramage, S Githens; Histochemical distribution of carbonic anhydrase in rat and rabbit lacrimal gland.. Invest. Ophthalmol. Vis. Sci. 1993;34(2):339-348.

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Abstract

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to examine the histochemical distribution of carbonic anhydrase (CA) in lacrimal glands from rats and rabbits; and to determine if age- and/or sex-related differences exist in the amount and distribution of CA in the rat lacrimal gland. METHODS: Lacrimal glands from young (3-12 wk) and aged (2-2.5 yr), male and female F344 rats and male rabbits were fixed in 1% paraformaldehyde and embedded in glycolmethacrylate. CA histochemistry was performed on 2-microns sections. The distribution of CA activity was determined by morphometric analysis. RESULTS: In rat lacrimal gland, CA activity was distributed in a discontinuous, mosaic fashion among the acinar cells. In tissue from young males and females as well as from aged females, about 10% of the acinar tissue displayed CA activity. Significantly more activity was present in tissue from aged male rats. CA was present in the ductal lumina, suggesting that it is a secretory product of the acinar cells. In rabbits, CA activity was associated with the basolateral membranes of the terminal acinar cells only. CONCLUSIONS: In rat, the presence of CA activity in certain acinar cells and in ductal lumina suggests that CA is actively secreted by the lacrimal gland. An age-related increase in the amount of CA activity in the male glands exists that may be under gender-specific hormonal influences. In the rabbit lacrimal gland, the membrane-associated CA found uniquely with the terminal acinar cells suggests that these cells have special transport functions associated with the primary secretion of lacrimal fluid.

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