Types and distribution of mucous cells in digestive tracts of wild and cultivated yellowfin black porgy (Sparus latus)

We study the types and distribution of mucous cells in the digestive tract of wild and cultivated yellowfin black porgy (Sparus latus) by using routineparaffin tissue section and AB-PAS staining method. The mucous cells distributeat everysection of the alimentary canal of yellowfin black porgy; however, the types and distribution of cells vary at different sections. TypeⅠandⅡ mucous cells are in the majority inesophagus;cardiac stomach and fundic stomach only have TypeⅠand Ⅱ;pyloric stomach only has Type Ⅰ; Type Ⅱ is in the majority inpyloric caeca, intestine and rectum. The difference of wild and cultivated yellowfin black porgy lies in the number of mucous cells which are more in wild fish than in cultivated fishat the same section of digestive tract. It is concluded that the types and distribution of mucous cells in the digestive tract are related with the living condition and food of fish, and probably with the distribution of flora.