Distribution of acid mucus in the bronchial mucous glands.

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Abstract
The percentage area of bronchial glands taking up Alcian blue (pH 2.6) stain for acid mucin was obtained from sections from the trachea and from each generation down the inferior lingular axial bronchial pathway in 5 non-smokers and 5 cigarette smokers. The mean percentage value for smokers (59.5%) was significantly less than for non-smokers (74.4%). The percentage increased between successive generations from the trachea by an average of 6.5. This gradient did not differ significantly between smoking and non-smoking groups. It was not possible to attribute these differences to any specific mechanism because many immeasurable interacting variables were involved. The percentage mucin retention or storage provides an introduction to consideration of these variables and their response to cigarette smoke.
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