Mucous glycoproteins. pp. 165-77.

Early investigators employed histochemical, chemical and physiochemical techniques in an attempt to 
identify differences between cystic fibrosis and control mucous secretions. Several mucous 
glycoprotein abnormalities were suggested by their studies. In retrospect, none of 
these studies achieved their goal of describing a fundamental mucous glycoprotein 
abnormality peculiar to CF. Improved methods have been devised for the 
collection of mucous glycoproteins in human respiratory tract secretions and the 
study of their chemical and physical properties. Therefore, it is now 
possible to make preliminary comparisons between human tracheobronchial mucous glycoproteins from 
CF and non-CF sources. General properties of mucous glycoproteins, human tracheobronchial 
mucous glycoproteins, comparison of CF and non-CF tracheobronchial mucous glycoprotein, and 
suggested directions for future studies of CF mucous secretions are discussed. 
