Morphological and histochemical studies of goblet cells in developing human conjunctiva

This study deals with the development of the human conjunctival goblet cells. Fifty-six eyes of human embryos and fetuses ranging from 5 to 41 weeks of gestational stage were used. The distribution of glycosaminoglycans in the goblet cells was investigated with 1% alcian blue (pH 2.5) staining. For identifying the types of glycosaminoglycans, enzyme digestion methods were carried out with streptomyces hyaluronidase, chondroitinase AC, chondroitinase ABC, or sialidase (neuraminidase). At 9 weeks of gestational age, goblet cells appeared in the fornix region of the conjunctiva and extended toward the palpebral and bulbar regions. Histochemical studies with enzyme digestion methods revealed the existence of sialomucin in the goblet cells from 9 weeks. This finding suggested that the goblet cells first appeared in the fornix area, extending toward the palpebral region, then toward the bulbar region, and containing sialomucin from their early stage of development.