Objective: To investigate whether differences exist between myoepithelial cells of human beings and experimental animals.
Methods: Myoepithelial cells(MeCs) of 8 kinds of experimental animals were studied immunohistochemically using muscle-acting-specific monoclonal antibody HHF35 and morphometrically using image-analysis.
Results: There were differences in mean proportional volumes of MeCs between human beings and experimental animals. The mean proportional volumes of mucous acini were more than those of serous acini except salivary glands of rodents.
Conclusion: The mean proportional volume of MeCs in salivary glands associates with animal species and secretion of salivary glands.