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A histochemistry study by means of lectins of vomeronasal organ or Jacobson's organ was performed in 5 Wistar rats. Vomeronasal organ is localized at the antero-inferior level of the septum and present two kinds of epithelium, an olfactory one and other respiratory, on the medial and on the lateral part, respectively. Olfactory epithelium shows a great reactivity to WGA lectin, moderate to PNA and weck to Con-A and SBA. In the respiratory epithelium the reactivity is moderate to DBA, PNa, SBA and WGA lectins for goblet cells, instead the periciliary sheat of mucus is reactive to all lectins but DBA and LTA.

A histochemical study, with lectins, in oropharyngeal cavity of 5 Syrian golden Hamsters (Mesocricetus auratus) was performed in order to know the tongue submucous glands characteristics. Results showed a strong reactivity to HPA lectin for secretions of submucous glands of the Hamster's tongue and a slight reactivity to N-WGA and to WGA lectins.

A histochemical study with lectins of the olfactory epithelium of 5 Wistar rats was performed. This neuro-epithelium cover the postero-superior part of the nasal cavity and the medial part of the vomeronasal organon. There are numerous Bowman's glands in the olfactory epithelium, besides the sensory cells. These glandulae dye as well with PAS.AB, the same as the mucosal layer over the epithelium, which show its composition on sialo-sulfomucines. The mucous layer over the olfactory epithelium shows a great reactivity to WGA, moderate to PNA and Con-A and weak to SBA. On the other hand Bowman's glands show an intense reactivity to PNA and moderate to WGA, VEA-I and to Con-A.

An histochemistry study, with lectins, of the nasal mucous membrane of 5 Wistar rats, was performed by the AA. A pseudostratified respiratory epithelium with plenty submucosal glands cover the nasal cavity. Results show than goblet cells are reactive to DBA, PNA, SBA and WGA. The periciliary mucus layer is reactive to all lectins but DBA and LTA. Maxillary glands react to WGA and Con-A. Septal glands are also reactive to WGA and Con-A and furthermore to SBA.

The differences between the submucosal glands and globet cells of the subglottic mucosa were studied by lectin immunohistochemistry in 4 larynxes of Syrian golden hamster (Mesocricetus auratus). Submucosal glands showed intense reactivity to HPA, N-WGA and N-PNA and reactivity to PNA, UES-I, and ConA, but globet cells showed no reactivity.

Histochemical study done with lectins is useful in order to differentiate between several carbohydrates from glycoproteins and glycolipides present in cellular membranes. Plasma cells and eosinophils are very frequent findings in nose mucous of patients with nasal polyposis. Histochemistry with lectins of plasma cells show a reactivity of the cellular cytoplasma to ConA while the external cellular membrane stains with PNA.

A comparative histochemical study of the lectins was made in the normal nasal mucosa of 6 patients admitted for abdominal disease and in the nasal mucosa of 6 patients with nasal polyposis. The results showed a similar reactivity to lectins by the cells of seromucosal glands of the lamina propria in both normal nasal mucosa and the mucosa of nasal polyps.

Glycoproteins and glycolipids play an important role in cellular biological specificity. The use of lectins as histochemical probes may be useful in studying the nasal mucosa. Eosinophils are a common finding in the nasal mucosa of patients with nasal polyposis. Histocytochemistry of eosinophils in the nasal mucosa of such patients revealed reactivity to all lectins used in this study except LTA. This suggests that alpha-L-fucose was not present in the eosinophils of the nasal mucosa of patients with nasal polyposis and asthma.