[Glycoconjugates of the cecal intestinal epithelium of the chick before and after hatching: histochemical study performed with peroxidase-conjugated lectins].

A battery of seven different horseradish peroxidase-labelled lectins (PNA, ConA, DBA, SBA, LTA, WGA and UEA I) was used to study the distribution and changes of carbohydrate moieties of glycoconjugates in the caecal epithelium (proximal and distal tracts) of the chick embryo and of the 3 days old chicken. The chief results showed that: 1. The appearance of some sugar residues was earlier observed at the epithelium of the distal tract than the proximal one (Tab. 2). 2. The presence of sialic acid was detected only after hatching (Fig. 4, Tab. 2). 3. During the embryonic caecal development enterocytes and goblet cells were characterized by the presence of the same sugar residues (Tab. 2). 4. By a quantitative point of view, differences in sugar residues content between the epithelium of the proximal and distal tract were observed. The epithelial cells of the distal tract were generally characterized by an higher content of saccharide moieties (Tab. 2). 5. At the end of the incubation period and after hatching enterocytes and goblet cells showed differences in content of some sugar residues (Fig. 1-3, Fig. 5-8, Tab. 2).