Fig. 7.

Glandular component of the wallaby VNO. A, C, and D Consecutive serial sections of the anterior portion of the vomeronasal organ (VNO, at level 2 in Fig. 1), stained with (A) hematoxylin–eosin, (C) periodic acid–Schiff (PAS), and (D) Alcian blue. The PAS-positive glands are concentrated in the lateral parenchyma surrounding the venous sinuses, characteristic of this region (asterisk in C). In the lamina propria of the respiratory mucosa, just lateral to the VNO there are tubulo-acinar Alcian blue–positive glands (asterisks in D). The goblet cells of the respiratory epithelium (RE) contain secretions that are positive for both stains (arrowheads in C and D). B Confocal microscopy of the left area framed in Fig. 8B makes it possible to characterize the development of the glandular components in a more caudal level of the VNO (white dashed line). Remarkably, a large myelinic branch of the nasal caudal nerve (NNcD, white arrow) is associated with the glands. NVN: Vomeronasal nerve; RE: Respiratory epithelium; SE: Sensory epithelium; VND: Vomeronasal duct. Stains: (A), Hematoxylin–eosin; (B), Confocal; (C), PAS; (D), Alcian blue. Scale bars: (A, C, D) 500 µm; (B) 100 µm