The variable prevalence of junctional-complex-associated bodies in the human sweat gland

Sweat gland biopsies have been examined for their content of junctional-complex-associated (JCA) bodies. These bodies have been observed at the lumen of the gland as well as the intercellular canaliculi. A JCA body was encountered in each of two dark cells with uncondensed secretory granules; one of these cells was from a specimen in which no other bodies could be found after an extensive search. All other JCA bodies occurred in either clear or undifferentiated cells. Junctional-complex-associated bodies occupied pairs of adjacent cells rather frequently, but no cell revealed more than one body. The prevalence of JCA bodies varied widely among specimens. Glands lacking morphologic abnormalities, and others with some atypical features, disclosed few or no such bodies. Some glands that contained JCA bodies also contained coil cells with extensive vacuolization, which occurred as a manifestation of Hurler's disease or on an unexplained basis. Glands from a patient with cystic fibrosis exhibited the highest prevalence of JCA bodies. Some of the coil profiles in glands near a scar in one specimen were composed of undifferentiated cells with rare mitotic figures and no identifiable clear or dark cells. Numerous JCA bodies, particularly at the lumen, were found in sweat glands in this and another specimen containing frequent undifferentiated cells.