A correlative ultrastructural and histochemical study on the submandibular gland of the hare, Lepus europaeus.

A morphological and histochemical study was carried out on the submandibular gland of the hare (Lepus europaeus). The results indicated that it is a characteristic tubulo-acinar gland formed by terminal tracts, preterminal tracts and excretory ducts of various calibre. The striated ducts are formed by dark and pale cells with the pale cells predominating. The results of histochemical staining show that the preterminal tracts did not react to any of the methods used, while the terminal tracts reacted intensely to high or low iron diamine-thiocarbohydrazide-silver proteinate and tannic acid-uranyl acetate, indicating the presence of sulphated, acidic and neutral glycoconjugates. In particular in the terminal tracts the different structural appearance of the electron-lucent granules corresponded to different reactivity. The morphological and histochemical data were compared to those of the rabbit submandibular gland and the functional significance of the cells in the terminal and preterminal tracts was discussed.