Selective Transport of γA 1

Abstract

Summary

The direct immunofluorescence technique was employed to localize γA, secretory “piece” (SP) and lactoferrin (LF) in human nasal mucosal tissue obtained from five allergic and two nonallergic individuals. The γA staining was localized in the apical portion of the mucosal epithelium, intercellular spaces, basement membrane, and in plasma cells dispersed throughout the interstitium of the nasal mucosal tissue. The γG was present in approximately the same amounts in the interstitium and basement membrane area but unlike the γA did not gain access to the intercellular space or epithelial cell cytoplasm. The SP staining was localized in both glandular and surface epithelial cells. In addition SP staining was observed in the intercellular spaces between epithelial cells. The LF staining was localized only in the glandular epithelium of both allergic and nonallergic nasal mucosae and not in the surface epithelium.