A Comparative Study between the Histochemical Characteristics of Mucosubstances in Normal and Adenocarcinoma of Endocervical Glands

BACKGROUND: The apical epithelial surfaces of mammalian respiratory, gastrointestinal, and reproductive tracts are coated by mucus, a mixture of water, ions, glycoproteins, proteins, and lipids. . Mucins are mainly of two types- Neutral and Acidic. Mucus plays an important role in reproductive function and defense of the female reproductive tract. OBJECTIVES: To know the mucin distribution of the endocervical glands in normal and malignant lesions. METHODOLOGY: This is a retrospective, observational, analytical, case control study aimed to evaluate mucins histo-chemical pattern in normal and malignant endocervical glands. Twenty five histologically proven blocks of normal and adenocarcinoma of endocervical glands were taken. Tissue sections were stained by Mayer's Haematoxylin and Eosin, PAS, PAS-diastase, Phenylhydrazine-PAS, Alcian blue 2.5, Alcian Blue 1, combined Alcian blue-PAS, Aldehyde Fuschin and combined Aldehyde fuchsin- Alcian blue techniques. RESULTS: Results were tabulated according to color intensity into different grades ranging from + to ++++. Regarding mucin histochemistry of normal endocervical glands; the epithelium and glands show mixture of both neutral and acidic mucins. Acidic mucins are more in amount than neutral. In acidic mucins, sialomucins are predominantly seen. In adenocarcinoma of endocervical glands ; a mixture of both neutral and acidic mucins are found. Neutral mucins are in trace amounts. In acidic no sialomucins but few sulphomucins are seen. CONCLUSION: Mucin histochemical patterns serve as valuable, cost-effective tool for diagnosis in histopathology and for the researchers in histology, where a slight change in the mucin pattern may help in the early diagnosis of the disease process.