Alcian blue staining is useful for identifying the mucous neck cells of fundic glands

Abstract

In recent years, a high frequency of dysplasia or adenoma of pyloric glands has been reported, and it has become necessary to differentiate between pyloric glands and fundic glands. Anti-MUC antibodies have been used as markers of pyloric glands. However, the anti-MUC antibody is not specific to pyloric glands; they also react with human duodenal Brunner’s glands or mucous neck cells. Therefore, by Alcian blue staining, we compared fundic glands, pyloric glands, and duodenal Brunner’s glands. Results showed that, by Alcian blue staining, the mucous neck cells of fundic glands were stained, whereas pyloric glands and duodenal Brunner’s glands were not stained. In this paper, we report that Alcian blue staining is useful for identifying the mucous neck cells of fundic glands.