Chloride handling by submandibular cells from young and old rats with and without duct ligation.

To examine the relation between structure and function in aging salivary glands, we have studied the duct-ligated submandibular gland of rats. Following 5-8 days ligation, glands from young (7-8 months) and old (21-23 months) rats exhibited approximately 90% loss in proportional volume of acinar cells. Most remaining epithelium was highly abnormal. No significant differences were detected in the ability of cells prepared from young and old animals, either control or ligated, to flux 36Cl-. Both basal uptake and muscarinic-cholinergic stimulated release were comparable.