Morphological and histoenzymological differences have been observed between intercalated and principal cells of the quail Coturnix coturnix japonica collecting ducts. The present study was designed to shed light on the lectin affinity of the collecting duct cells within cortex and medulla by the use of HRP-labelled lectins combined with glycosidase degradation. Binding of PNA and RCA-I lectins consequent to enzymatic release of sialic acid revealed abundant sialylated carbohydrate moieties within the principal cell cytoplasm. This characteristic binding pattern differed considerably from the staining observed in the intercalated cells. Interesting information also emerged about the presence of sialoglycoconjugates having the terminal disaccharide sialic acid-beta-N-acetylgalactosamine originating from the increased SBA binding and the unmodified DBA labelling after removal of sialic acid. Sequential degradation by sialidase/beta-galactosidase followed by incubation with DBA offered the possibility to suspect that the receptor sugar for the penultimate beta-galactose may be N-acetylgalactosamine. Conversely, we were not able to define the accept sugar for penultimate beta-GalNAc owing to the lack of availability of beta-N-acetylgalactosaminidase enzyme. When although further studies are clearly needed to elucidate the physiological role of the cellular sialoglycoconjugates detected, the present results already provide valuable insight into the carbohydrate composition of intercalated and principal cells in the quail collecting ducts.