Comparative analysis of morphofunctional characteristics of sublingual salivary glands in American mink and Siberian weasel

The sublingual salivary glands in mammals are divided into single- and multi-duct, they are tubular-alveolar, of mixed secretion. The purpose of research is to study the histological structure and histochemical features of the sublingual salivary glands of the American mink and the Siberian weasel. Research methods included: obtaining histological sections from the sublingual salivary glands, staining them with hematoxylin-eosin; setting up histochemical reactions with appropriate controls. The intensity of histochemical reactions was determined using a semi-quantitative visual assessment according to the method of V.V. Sokolovsky. According to our studies, the sublingual salivary glands of the American mink and of the Siberian weasel are of mucous secretion. The dominant acini of the salivary glands in both the mink and the Siberian are purely mucous. The weasel has elongated mucous end sections. On closer examination, they form significant secretory spaces throughout. Histochemically alcianophilic secret is found in the sublingual gland of the weasel in a significant amount and its topography is peculiar. In the mink, the lumen of the mucous acini is blocked by contents consisting of glycoproteins, carboxylated glycosaminoglycans, proteoglycans, sulfated glycosaminoglycans. The intercalary excretory ducts in the sublingual salivary glands are round in shape and occur singly, lined with cuboidal epithelium. In the mink, the intercalary ducts are developed and have a structure of the usual form. The striated ducts of the sublingual salivary glands, especially in the long ducts, are well expressed in the animals we studied. However, there are very few of them in the weasel, and they resemble intercalary ducts, but of a larger diameter, and are lined with cuboidal epithelium, while the epithelium of the striated ducts of the sublingual salivary glands of the mink is cylindrical. The sublingual salivary glands of carnivores are complex tubular-alveolar glands with specific morphological features determined by the type of food and habitat. Histochemical studies have revealed in the sublingual salivary gland of the mink and the weasel a predominantly mucous nature of the secretion of epithelial cells of the terminal sections.Despite an insignificant number of serous acini in the salivary glands of the compared animal species, the weasel also has mixed terminal sections. The epithelium of the excretory ductal system of the sublingual glands is involved in the production of a secret, which is histochemically detected not only in the lumen of the ducts, but also in the epithelial cells of the intercalary and striated ducts.