Glycoconjugate histochemistry of the prostate gland in the pig

In the porcine prostate, glycoconjugates elaborated and released by the glandular cells have been studied by means of a series of histochemical methods of light microscopy. The employed methods included several routine procedures in combination with digestion by carbohydrate-degrading enzymes and peroxidase-labelled lectin diaminobenzidine procedures. In the glandular tissues, the particular glycoconjugates were shown to be secretory glycoproteins which contained vicinal diol, sulphate, and carboxyl groups and were provided with different saccharide residues such as alpha-D-mannose, alpha-D-glucose, lactose, N-acetyl-D-galactosamine, beta-D-galactose, alpha-L-fucose, N-acetyl-D-glucosamine, and N-acetyl-neuraminic acid. These glycoconjugates were, likewise, found to exhibit positive reaction for proteins. The present histochemical results have been discussed with special reference to the histophysiological functions performed by the prostate gland in the pig.