Quantitative histology of the maxillary sinus.

The entire mucosa from 10 normal maxillary sinuses was removed post-mortem and stained by the PAS-alcian blue whole-mount method. The density of goblet cells and of mucous glands was investigated. The median density of goblet cells was 170 cells/field, corresponding to 9,600 cells per mm2, with wide individual variations, but there were no significant differences in density between the various walls. The density of goblet cells was somewhat higher than in the nose. Glands were very scarce and small in the maxillary sinus. Their median density in most walls was 0.15-0.20 gland/mm2, but in the medial wall significantly higher, 0.5 gland/mm2. The lower density of glands in the maxilly sinus than in the nose, where it is 8-9 glands/mm2, is in complete agreement with lesser requirement of the antral mucosa for moistening, cleaning, and warming of the air. Quantitative histological studies of normal mucosa will form the basis for studies of abnormal mucosa.