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Updated: Jul 13, 2026

Using Unfixed, Frozen Tissues to Study Natural Mucin Distribution
Published on: September 21, 2012
Differences in lectin-binding properties between the common mucosal epithelium and follicle-associated epithelium in
Takashi Takeuchi1, Taketsugu Fujibuchi, Yoshinori Imai
1Department of Molecular Pathology, Ehime University School of Medicine, Toh-on, Ehime, Japan.
Abstract:
Differences in sugar distribution between the villous epithelium and follicle-associated epithelium (FAE) were compared using lectins in the rabbit small intestine. In every portion, villous columnar epithelial cells primarily exhibited a positive reaction to the GalNAc, GlcNAc, galactose, and oligosaccharide. In the ileal Peyer's patch (PP), whereas microvillous epithelial cells exhibited positive reactions, M cells tended to be negative. The villous epithelial reaction to the fucose group was negative, but M cells and microvillous epithelial cells showed a positive to the fucose. No epithelium had a positive reaction to the mannose and glucose. The variety of lectin-binding properties of villous epithelial cells and M cells may reflect specificity for the recognizing luminal substances such as antigenic molecules and bacterial elements.
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