[Carbohydrate structure of glycoconjugate in the murine eustachian tube pharyngeal orifice].

In this study, neuraminidase (sialidase) and 6 different lectins, wheat germ agglutinin (WGA), Limax flavus agglutinin (LFA), Sambucus nigra agglutinin (SNA), Maackia amurensis agglutinin (MAA), peanut agglutinin (PNA), and Amaranthin, were used to histochemically characterize the carbohydrate structure of glycoconjugate in the murine eustachian tube pharyngeal orifice. A microwave irradiation technique was used to reduce the incubation time and background staining. After neuraminidase treatment, WGA, LFA, MAA, Amaranthin, and PNA stained epithelial goblet cells, glandular mucous cells, cell surfaces, and the mucous blanket. Without neuraminidase treatment, SNA and PNA did not stain any secretory cells. These results revealed that sialoglycoconjugates in the murine eustachian tube pharyngeal orifice are produced from epithelial goblet cells and glandular mucous cells, are present on cell surfaces and within the mucous blanket, and that their terminal trisaccharide linkage appears to be the sequence Neu5Ac (alpha 2-3) Gal (beta 1-3) GalNAc.