Distribución de los mastocitos en las glándulas salivales mayores de rata

mast cells (mt) are connective tissue cells widely distributed throughout the body, especially in immune mucosal response sites like the digestive and air way tract. the aim of the present study was to find the number and the pattern of distribution and possible differences in mast cell population present in the mayor salivary glands (parotid, submandibular and sublingual glands) of rats. fragments from salivary glands were collected, processed an included in paraffin wax, cut and stained with alcian blue-safranin and toluidine blue. the total number of mt was counted to estimate the mm2 population from both intralobulillar and interlobulillar stroma tissues. statistical analysis showed not significant differences (p> 0.05) between the three analysed glands. numerous mast cells were located around salivary secretory ducts, in close association the results suggest that mt play a relevant role in salivary antigen detection and that there is a close cooperation with other antigen professional presenting cells like dendritic cells