CARBOHYDRATE CYTOCHEMISTRY OF THE INTESTINE AND SALIVARY GLANDS OF THE SNAIL HELIX LUCORUM: EFFECT OF STARVATION AND HIBERNATION

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Abstract
The mucous cells of the intestinal and salivary gland epithelium of the snail Helix lucorum produce granules exhibiting a strong positive reaction for periodate-reactive carbohydrates. The cytochemical appearance of the mucous granules in the two tissues is quite different; in the salivary glands the granules display concentric rings in a web-like pattern of periodate-reactive material, while in the intestine this material displays a compact structure. The mucous granules in both tissues also react positively for sulphated and carboxylated carbohydrates. Large quantities of glycogen particles are also present in close relation to lipid inclusions in ciliated and unciliated cells of the intestinal epithelium. Hibernation and starvation did not alter the chemistry of carbohydrates secreted by the intestinal and salivary gland cells. The amount of glycogen particles and lipid inclusions, however, drastically decreased in columnar cells inhibernated and starved snails compared to controls.