Newborn murine submandibular gland transplants within the brains of adult mice: a histochemical study of transplant cytodifferentiation, revascularisation and reinnervation

Histochemical activities of alkaline phosphatase (AP), dipeptidylpeptidase (DFP) IV, esteroproteases (EP), succinate dehydrogenase (SDW), and acetylch olinesterase (AChE) were investigated in the developing parenchyma of intra cerebral grafts of submandibular glands of newborn mice over the course of nine weeks and at five months following transplantation. Eight weeks after grafting, the enzyme pattern of the parenchyma of transplants was comparabl e with the enzyme pattern of a fully mature submandibular gland in situ. Hi stochemically positive granular convoluted tubules were present only in tra nsplants that developed in the brains of male recipients. This finding refl ects an androgenous dependence of granular convoluted tubules in the transp lant experiment. A light microscopy examination showed that surviving subma ndibular gland transplants contained AP-positive capillaries, AChE-positive nerve fibers, and groups of cholinergic neurons.