Abstract
A lectin histochemical study was performed on formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissue sections of proventriculus from three mature chickens, three mature ducks and three mature geese. The purpose of this study was to focus on the comparative glycoconjugates of chicken, ducks and geese proventriculus. The distribution of glycoconjugates in the proventriculus of chicken, ducks and geese was studied using eight (LCA, ConA, PNA, RCA 120, WGA, DBA, UEA and PHA-E4) horse raddish peroxidase labeled lectins and peroxidase activity was visualized by Dako cytomation (DAB).The neutral mucopolysaccharides were restricted on the supranuclear part of the epithelium of mucosal folds (plicae) and negative in the basal part (sulci) epithelium in all species under investigation. The examined parts of the proventriculus (plicae epithelium, sulcui epithelium, ducts of the glands and glandular tissue) were labeled to all lectins used in case of geese. The ducks proventriculus showed expression to all lectins except glandular duct epithelium with D glucose, N acetylegalactosamine and L fucose. The proventriculus of chicken was labeled to all lectins except DBA which bind to N acetyle galactosamine. Moreover, the glandular tissue and sulci epithelium were negative to D glucose and D galactose respectively. In conclusion, all investigated species showed neutral mucopolysaccharides with different sugar residues to protect the mucosa and glandular tissue from the harmful effect of the acid content.

Key words: Glycoconjugates, Histochemistry, lectins, Proventriculus