ELECTRON SPECTROSCOPIC IMAGING OF SECRETORY GRANULES IN HUMAN ECCRINESWEAT GLANDS

A study of human eccrine sweat glands by electron spectroscopic imagin g has been performed. A high nitrogen content in secretory granules of the dark mucous cells has been found while mucous cells in the digest ive or respiratory systems did not contain nitrogen detectable in our experimental conditions. High concentrations of nitrogen were found in zymogenic granules and in the core of the granules in the eosinophili c leucocytes. Our findings seem to suggest that the granules of the da rk secretory cells are composed not only of mucoid substances but cont ain also high concentrations of proteins. The descriptive term ''granu lated cells'' seems to be more correct than ''mucous cells'' to indica te these elements.