A STUDY OF MUCINS IN TISSUE SECTIONS USING THE FLUORESCENT ANTIBODY TECHNIQUE. I. THE PREPARATION AND SPECIFICITY OF BOVINE SUBMAXILLARY GLAND MUCIN ANTIBODY

Mucin was extracted from bovine submaxillary glands and purified using a modification of the Sevag procedure. Antibodies to the mucin were produced in rabbits. The antibodies were labeled with fluorescein and used to demonstrate bovine submaxillary gland mucin in routine paraffin sections of formalin fixed tissues. The fluorescent labeled antibody did not react with the submaxillary gland of the pig, dog, mouse, rat, rabbit and human or with other mucin-containing organs of cattle. This indicated that the antibodies are organ specific, as well as species specific. The results of the study further suggest that epithelial mucins from other tissues may also stimulate antibodies with high specificity. This possibility is being explored.