IMMUNOCYTOCHEMICAL LOCALIZATION OF LEWIS BLOOD-GROUP ANTIGENS IN HUMAN SALIVARY-GLANDS

We demonstrated the immunohistochemical distribution of Le-a and Le-b blood group antigens in human major and minor salivary glands at the u ltrastructural level by applying a post-embedding immunogold staining method. In secretors' glands, a faint Le-a reactivity was found only i n mucous droplets, whereas Le-b antigen was intensely stained in secre tory granules of most mucous cells, in those of intercalated duct cell s, in the pale granular matrix of some serous cells, and, when osmicat ion was omitted, in cytoplasmatic vesicles and cell surfaces of striat ed ducts. In the submandibular gland of a non-secretor, Le-a antigen w as considerably stained in mucous droplets, whereas Le-b reactivity wa s restricted to the striated duct cells. These results indicate that t he secretor status affects the secretion of Lewis antigens by mucous, serous, and intercalated duct cells but not the presence of Le-b as a surface antigen in striated duct cells.