MUC5AC and Keratoconjunctivitis sicca: In the saline-treated dry eye rats, not only the number of goblet cells was reduced 50% (Fig. 6B, NaCl+NaCl vs D+NaCl, p < 0.001), the size of the residual goblet cells also shrunk (Fig. 6B), indicating a dramatic reduction in mucin secretion in these animals.