Morphology and histochemistry of non-tumorous gallbladder epithelium. A series of 103 cases.

One hundred and three gallbladders were excised from 81 female and 22 male patients. Different non-tumorous morphologic and histochemical changes and their frequency were studied in these gallbladders and in their various components. Histochemical methods were used to visualize sulphated, non-sulphated acid, and neutral mucins. Sulphated mucin predominated in normal columnar epithelium and in the glands of the neck region, whereas non-sulphated acid mucin and neutral mucin predominated in goblet cell areas, in superficial gastric-type epithelial areas and in antral-type glands. Goblet cells were present in 67 specimens, enterochromaffin cells in 42, superficial gastric-type epithelium in 16, antral-type glands in 40, antral-type mucosa in 8 and intestinal-type mucosa in one specimen. Goblet cells, enterochromaffin cells, and gastric surface epithelium columns appeared initially in the surface portions of the folds. No relationship was established between the degree of metaplasia, the age of the patient, the duration of symptons, and the severity of illness.