Density of mucous glands in the normal adult nasal septum.

The entire mucosa from 13 normal nasal septa was stained by the PAS-alcian blue whole-mount method, and the mean density of glandular orifices in 13 localities was determined quantitatively by counts in 4 mm2 fields. The median density within the entire material was 8.4 glands/mm2, with an interindividual variation of +/- 1 gland/mm2. The median number was 15,900 glands, range 10,800-21,800. The distribution of the glands is regular, with little variation between the localities. Density is somewhat, but significantly lower in the posterior quarter of the septum, and there was a significant increase in density into the infero-superior direction.