Carbohydrate histochemistry of skin glands in the Turkish Angora goat

The skin glands of the general body surface of the Turkish Angora goat were studied by means of selected carbohydrate histochemical methods, in particular several PO-lectin procedures. Both gland types exhibited intensive secretion production, irrespective of season and body region. The different histochemical staining procedures demonstrated that glycoconjugates, especially neutral glycoproteins are present in the secretory cells and secretion products of the apocrine glands. The peroxidase (PO)-lectin-procedures indicated the following saccharide residues: alpha-D-mannose, N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosamine, alpha-D-glucose, N-acetyl-D-galactosamine, beta-D-galactose, alpha-D-galactose, and alpha-fucose, including small amounts of N-acetylneuraminic acid and N-glycolylneuraminic acid. Relatively large amounts of glycoconjugates, probably also glycolipids, were found in the peripheral cells and the sebum of the sebaceous glands, exhibiting the following saccharide residues: N-acetyl-D-galactosamine, alpha-fucose, N-acetylneuraminic acid and N-glycolylneuraminic acid. The results obtained are discussed as related to findings from corresponding studies in other mammalian species. The secretory substances present obviously create a clearly alkaline pH milieu within the fleece of the Angora goat. Such conditions are also known to exist, for example, in the Merino sheep fleece.