The mechanism of mucus secretion by the gallbladder epithelium.

The mucus secretory granules in the chief cells of the gallbladder epithelium have been studied. The volume density of the mucus secretory granules were 0.6 +/- 0.2%, 1.5 +/- 0.4% and 1.1 +/- 0.4% in normal fasting rabbits, mice and guinea pigs respectively. Electron microscopic observations suggested that these granules were released from the epithelial cells by a mechanism analogous to a merocrine secretion.