Quantitative histochemical study of secretory cells after short term tubal obstruction in the cat

Quantitative histochemistry of goblet cells producing different types of glycoproteins was examined in cat middle ears with and without Euatachian tube obstruction (ETO). The goblet cell population significantly increased at 1 week after ETO and showed a tendency to decrease down to the normal level at 4 weeks after ETO. In the normal ears, approximately 85% of glycoprotein in the secretory cells were sulphated and 15% were neutral. ETO significantly increased goblet cell population containing sulphated glycoprotein at the expense of neutral glycoprotein. The results indicate that goblet cells can easily and within a short period be modified both in number and in intracellular glycoproteins by a tubal obstruction.