Stereological study of the sexual dimorphism in mouse submandibular glands.

The sexual dimorphism of the mouse submandibular glands was studied by stereological methods. Albino mice of both sexes aged 140 days were used. Their average weight was 34.7 g por males and 26.0 g for females. The following morphometric dimensions were evaluated for the acini, intercalated ducts, convoluted granular tubules, striated ducts, excretory ducts and stroma: volume density, total volume, surface density, total external surface, surface-to-volume ratio, nuclear and cellular volume, and absolute number of cells. We also determined the mean diameters and estimated the total length of striated ducts and granular tubules in the gland. Analysis of the results showed that sexual dimorphism is present in all the morphological compartments of the mouse submandibular glands.