title: Mucin-producing cells and endocrine cells of gallbladder epithelium in patients with uncomplicated cholelithiasis.
abstract: In this study we have investigated various morphofunctional features of gallbladder mucosa in patients with uncomplicated cholelithiasis. The histological changes, endocrine cell types and their distribution, and mucin-producing cells were characterized by immunocytochemistry and mucin histochemistry; moreover, we attempted to correlate these findings to the number and size of gallbladder stones and the type of bacteria present in the bile. Our results indicate that, despite similar clinical parameters, a wide range of histological changes can occur in the gallbladder mucosa of these patients. Moreover, the presence of certain endocrine and mucin-producing cell types in so-called "pyloric metaplasia" led us to hypothesize that this finding may be a trivial event in the gallbladder epithelium.
authors.affiliation: Surgical Anatomy, Dept. of Experimental Medicine, University of L'Aquila, Italy.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Carlei
authors.forename: N J
authors.initials: NJ
authors.lastname: Lygidakis
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Barsotti
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Crescenzi
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Natellis
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Carotenuto
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Dorsi
authors.forename: C U
authors.initials: CU
authors.lastname: Casciani
mesh_terms: D002769:Cholelithiasis / Q000473:pathology*; D004848:Epithelium / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D005704:Gallbladder / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D008875:Middle Aged; D009077:Mucins / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D009092:Mucous Membrane / Q000473:pathology; D009093:Mucus / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D009077:Mucins