New findings concerning eosinophilic substance deposition in mouse nasal septum: sex difference and no increase in seniles.

An eosinophilic substance (ES) is usually observed in the mouse nasal septum. In contrast to textbooks and one report describing ES as amyloid, a previous study by the authors revealed that ES is not amyloid but consists of collagen and an amorphous material. Furthermore, it was suggested that the amorphous material was produced by clear HE-stained nasal gland epithelial cells present at the dorsal portion directly above the vomeronasal organ. In this histological examination, ES deposition showed sex difference (more intense in males than in females). ES increased with age but not in seniles, suggesting that the increase has a limit. In the detailed examination using subserial HE-stained nasal sections, it was revealed that the clear HE-stained nasal glands continued to the vomeronasal glands, which communicated with the lumen of the vomeronasal organ, and the vomeronasal gland epithelial cells contained strongly periodic acid-Schiff (PAS) positive granules, similar to the clear HE-stained nasal gland epithelial cells. ES also deposited in the interstitium of the vomeronasal glands. The results suggested a possibility that ES deposition may be related to vomeronasal organ.