Quantitative histology of the maxillary sinus

Area of Science:

• Histology
• Anatomy
• Respiratory System

Background:

• The maxillary sinus mucosa's cellular composition is crucial for understanding sinonasal function.
• Previous studies have not comprehensively quantified goblet cells and mucous glands in normal maxillary sinus mucosa.

Purpose of the Study:

• To quantitatively assess the density of goblet cells and mucous glands in normal human maxillary sinus mucosa.
• To compare these densities with those found in the nasal mucosa.
• To establish a baseline for future studies on pathological sinus conditions.

Main Methods:

• Post-mortem collection of entire mucosa from 10 normal maxillary sinuses.
• PAS-alcian blue whole-mount staining technique.
• Microscopic quantification of goblet cell and mucous gland densities per mm².

Main Results:

• Median goblet cell density was 9,600 cells/mm², with significant individual variation but no significant difference between sinus walls.
• Goblet cell density was higher in the maxillary sinus compared to the nose.
• Mucous glands were scarce (0.15-0.20 glands/mm²), except for the medial wall (0.5 glands/mm²), which is considerably lower than in the nose (8-9 glands/mm²).

Conclusions:

• The maxillary sinus mucosa possesses a higher density of goblet cells than nasal mucosa.
• The low density of mucous glands in the maxillary sinus aligns with its reduced role in air humidification and warming compared to the nasal cavity.
• These quantitative histological findings provide essential baseline data for investigating abnormal maxillary sinus mucosa.