Abstract
The organization of the mucomicrovillar complex of the vomeronasal sensory epithelium of adult rats was examined using confocal laser scanning microscopy. In specimens labeled with the FITC-conjugated isolectin B4 of Bandeiraea simplicifolia, which recognizes terminal α-galactose sugar residues of glycoconjugates, we demonstrated that the mucomicrovillar complex was composed of islet-like structures with a high-density α-galactose core. The mucomicrovillar complex was further resolved into sensory and mucoid components in double-labeling and dual scanning experiments. The sensory component, which consists of the dendritic terminals of olfactory marker protein-immunoreactive vomeronasal receptor neurons, contained cytosolic glycoconjugates with terminal α-galactose sugar residues. The extracellular mucoid component consisted of glycoconjugates containing terminal α-galactose derived from the glands associated with the vomeronasal organ. These results demonstrated the complex microchemical organization of the sensory and mucoid components of the mucomicrovillar complex.
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Takami, S., Getchell, M.L. & Getchell, T.V. Resolution of sensory and mucoid glycoconjugates with terminal α-galactose residues in the mucomicrovillar complex of the vomeronasal sensory epithelium by dual confocal laser scanning microscopy. Cell Tissue Res 280, 211–216 (1995). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00307791
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00307791