Comparative analysis of human nasal mucosa by standard neurohistochemical techniques

The modified glyoxylic acid histofluorescent method (Torre and Surgeon) and Karnovsky-Roots method for acetylcholinesterase activity was applied to fresh animal and human material. Human material was obtained during ENT surgery and consisted of nasal, laryngeal and hypopharyngeal mucosa. Not only on animal, but also on human material adrenergic axons and varicosities were demonstrated around vessels in nasal mucosa, diffusely in nasal, laryngeal and hypopharyngeal mucosa and just below and intraepithelially in laryngeal mucosa. Abundant cholinergic innervation was found around vessels and glands in nasal, laryngeal and hypopharyngeal mucosa, as well as diffusely scattered in the tissue of their mucosa.