Boonzaier, JuliaVan der Merwe, Elizabeth LouisaBennett, Nigel CharlesKotze, Sanet H.2014-08-262014-08-262013-07Boonzaier, J, Van der Merwe, EL, Bennett, NC & Kotzé, SH 2013,'A comparative histochemical study of the distribution of mucins in the gastrointestinal tracts of three insectivorous mammals', Acta Histochemica, vol. 115, no. 6, pp. 549-556.0065-1281 (print)10.1016/j.acthis.2012.12.003http://hdl.handle.net/2263/41589The distribution of mucous secreting goblet cells was examined in the gastrointestinal tracts of three insectivores namely: Acomys spinosissimus (Southern African spiny mouse), Crocidura cyanea (Reddish gray musk shrew) and Amblysomus hottentotus (Hottentot golden mole) in order to improve our understanding of the quality and composition of the protective intestinal biofilm. Intestinal tracts were fixed and processed to wax for histology. Serial transverse sections were stained using alcian blue-periodic acid Schiff, alcian blue-aldehyde fuchsin and alcian blue-high iron diamine techniques. Photomicrographs of the stained sections were analyzed by quantifying the number of goblet cells containing mucins per mm2 in the surface epithelial or crypt areas. Neutral mucins predominated in the gastric epithelium of all three insectivores, while sialomucins were absent in the stomach of C. cyanea. In all three species, goblet cells producing a mixture of neutral and acid mucins were most abundant throughout the intestinal tract as were cells secreting a mixture of sulfomucins and sialomucins. However, differences between the insectivore species were observed in the qualitative expression and distribution of mucins throughout the intestinal tract. Similarities between the insectivores of this study and other distantly related species suggest that mixed mucin goblet cells are essential for the formation of the biofilm, irrespective of their diet or taxonomy.en© 2013 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved. Notice : this is the author’s version of a work that was accepted for publication in Acta Histochemica.Changes resulting from the publishing process, such as peer review, editing, corrections, structural formatting, and other quality control mechanisms may not be reflected in this document. Changes may have been made to this work since it was submitted for publication. A definitive version was subsequently published in Acta Histochemica, vol. 115, no.6, pp. 549-556, 2013. doi : 10.1016/j.acthis.2012.12.003.MucinsGastrointestinal tractHistochemistryInsectivoresPostprint Article