On the biological functions of tissue mast cells in the salivary gland

In order to invesigate the biological functions of the tissue mast cells of the salivatory gland, rats weighing about 100g, irrespective of the sex, were chosen and devided into seven groups upon which experiments were performed by means of various dieting, applying stimulants to the parasympathetic system and the sympathetic nervous system or paralysing the parasympathetic system and the sympathetic nervous system or paralysing the parasympathetic system with drugs or giving them histamine hydrochloride.　During　the period of highly increasing flow of saliva, or of decreasing flow of it, or the period of taking effect of drougs the state, number, forms, size and the functional conditions, stainability with toluidine blue, of the tissue mast cells and the states data were viewed from many angles. In consequence, it was made clear that the tissue mast cells of salivatory gland according to change of the function of salivation give rise to change not only in the number, state of distribution, ond forms, but also upon their functions. 1.The observation of the tissue mast cells in all the experiments demonstrated that these cells are numerous in the submaxillary and parotid glands and the circumfrtrntial lymphatic glands but few in the sublingual glands. In the submaxillary and parotid glands they had a tendency of gathering around the excretory ducts and the blood vessels. Some of them existed close to the basal part of the striated tubule, in the lymphatic glands around the efferent vessels and sometimes dispersed in the medullary substances, too. As to their froms, there were remarkable differences in respective experiments. The forms of the nuclei generally corresponded with those of the cells.