A HISTOCYTOCHEMICAL STUDY OF MUCUS GLYCOPROTEINS OR MUCINS IN THE INTESTINAL-TRACT OF THE AFRICAN ELEPHANT (LOXODONTA-AFRICANA)

The distribution of neutral mucins, sialomucins and sulphomucins was d etermined histochemically in the duodenum, jejunum, ileum and colon of the African elephant (Loxodonta africana). The techniques used were p eriodic acid-Schiff (PAS), alcian blue/periodic acid-Schiff (AB-PAS), high-iron-diamine/alcian blue (HID-AB), alcian blue at varying pH solu tions and alcian blue at high temperature after methylation and saponi fication. Acid mucins appear to dominate neutral mucins, the latter de creasing toward the large intestine. Sulphomucins and sialomucins occu rred in almost equal amounts throughout the intestinal tract, with a s light decrease of sialomucins toward the colon.