The biochemical nature of the cell periphery of the salt gland secretory cells of fresh and salt water adapted mallard ducks

Summary Both ruthenium red and dialyzed iron techniques indicated that anionic protein-carbohydrates were associated with the plasmalemma of secretory cells in mallard salt glands. Digestion of the tissue with neuraminidase prior to dialyzed iron staining provided evidence that much of the anionic nature of this surface was due to sialic acid. These results were confirmed by biochemical assays showing that the salt-gland tissue contained a relatively high sialic-acid content and that the amount of sialic acid increased with salt-water adaptation. Possible roles of these anionic sites are discussed in relation to currently accepted hypotheses of electrolyte transport.Research supported by Public Health Service Grant AM-13705