Shyamasundari K
Z Mikrosk Anat Forsch. 1979;93(3):417-24.
With a view to analyse the chemical nature and the probable functional significance of the cephalic mucous glands the mucosubstances secreted and elaborated by these glands were investigated. All recent and standard histochemical techniques were employed. These reactions revealed that the three groups of glands namely the oesophageal, lateral and maxillipede groups are charged with the task of secreting both acid and neutral mucopolysaccharides. Of these three, maxillipede groups are elaborating most of the neutral mucopolysaccharides and the other two groups are mainly involved in elaborating acid mucosubstances and to a little extent neutral mucosubstances. The acidic nature of the mucosubstances is partly due to hyaluronic acid and partly due to sialic acid. This was confirmed by hyaluronidase and neuraminidase treatment (digestion tests). The glands are also involved in secreting glycoproteins which was evidenced by their positivity to alcian blue/naphthol yellow and Congo red reactions. Entanglement of food and provision of fluid vehicle for lubrication as well as to achieve the desired consistency for digestion may be given as chief functions.
