Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 1986 Oct 1;239(1):147-53.
doi: 10.1042/bj2390147.

Electron microscopy of cervical, gastric and bronchial mucus glycoproteins

J K Sheehan, K Oates, I Carlstedt

Electron microscopy of cervical, gastric and bronchial mucus glycoproteins

J K Sheehan et al. Biochem J. .

Abstract

Mucus glycoproteins (mucins) were obtained from human cervical and pig gastric mucus as well as from chronic-bronchitic sputum after low-shear extraction. The mucus gel was solubilized in guanidinium chloride supplemented with proteinase inhibitors, and the macromolecules were purified by using isopycnic density-gradient centrifugation. The macromolecules were spread in monolayers of benzyldimethylalkyl-ammonium chloride and studied with electron microscopy after staining with uranyl acetate and/or shadowing with platinum/carbon. The mucins appeared as flexible linear threads with lengths varying from approx. 200 nm to about 400 nm. No regularly branched or star-shaped structures were observed. The macromolecular architecture of cervical, respiratory and gastric mucins is thus similar.

PubMed Disclaimer

References

    1. Biopolymers. 1970;9(3):373-9 - PubMed
    1. Biochem J. 1959 Oct;73:217-25 - PubMed
    1. Eur J Respir Dis. 1980 Apr;61(2):71-6 - PubMed
    1. Biochem J. 1983 Mar 1;209(3):893-6 - PubMed
    1. Biochem J. 1983 Apr 1;211(1):13-22 - PubMed

Publication types

Substances