Intrinsic glands of the human esophagus

The esophagial glands obtained from 156 corpses of mature persons have been investigated by means of histological and histochemical methods. The glands studied are situated in the tela submucosa of the organ and, according to a number of structiral peculiarities and histological properties, they differ essentially from the salivary glands of the oral cavity. The glands are presented as large packets and have mucous, serous and mixed (seromucous and mucoserous) terminal parts. Their secret contains neutral glycoproteins, sialo- and sulfoglycoproteins and gets into the intercalary and further into the striated ducts which fuse and form a long common excretory duct; it opens at an acute angle into the esophageal cavity. There are single cells in the glands which possess secretory properties not connected with the excretory ducts of the gland. Their role in the organ is not yet clear.     

Innervation of the bovine naso-labial glands

An investigation was carried out on the innervation of bovine naso-labial glands. Histochemical techniques were used to establish the presence and distribution of cholinergic fibres and peptidergic fibres containing VIP and Substance P were revealed by immunohistochemical methods. Parasympathetic nerve fibres were localized around the secretory units and intralobular excretory ducts. VIPergic nerve fibres, the only peptidergic fibres encountered, were arranged in a similar pattern. Adrenergic fibres were only seen in the periglandular connective tissue around blood vessels of medium size. We are, therefore, of the opinion that the secretory activity is mainly regulated by the parasympathetic nerves and that the VIP acts as a modulator.     

Operations on the adrenal glands

Various conditions of the adrenal gland are amenable to surgical treatment. Removal of a pheochromocytoma is almost always indicated when the tumor is diagnosed. The results of extirpation have been excellent in cases in which patients were operated upon before the onset of chronic hypertension. Removal of the "nerve cell" tumors of the adrenal is indicated if metastasis cannot be demonstrated. Hypofunction of the adrenal cortex may be partially alleviated by the repeated implantation of pellets of desoxycorticosterone acetate. Hyperfunction of the adrenal cortex causes a variety of clinical manifestations depending upon which of the numerous hormones are affected. Removal of a cortical tumor alleviates these symptoms. These tumors are malignant in more than 50 per cent of cases, and recurrence is frequent. Bilateral hyperplasia of the glands rather than a tumor may be present. In such circumstances, resection of 95 per cent of the adrenal tissue is effective in controlling the symptoms of the disease. Total bilateral excision of the adrenals is, at present, under investigation as a means of treatment for a variety of conditions.     

Sweat glands of the scrotum of the bull

Skin samples were taken post mortem from the scrotum, abdomen and neck of 4 mature bulls. The volume of sweat glands per unit skin surface area of the scrotum was greater than that of other body regions. Within the scrotum there was a gradient in sweat gland volume increasing from proximal through to distal parts of the scrotum. These results suggest a previously unidentified variable cooling capacity of the scrotum depending on testicular descent.