Muciparous cells and endocrine cells of the gallbladder epithelium in patients with uncomplicated cholelithiasis

: In this study the authors have investigated the different morphofunctional features of the gallbladder mucosa in patients with uncomplicated cholelithiasis. Histological changes, type and distribution of endocrine and mucin-producing cells were characterized by immunocytochemistry and mucin histochemistry. The authors attempted to correlate these findings to the number and size of gallbladder stones as well as type of bacteria present in the bile. The results indicate that, despite similar clinical parameters, a wide range of histological changes may occur in the gallbladder mucosa of these patients. Moreover, the presence of some endocrine and mucin-producing cell types in the so called "pyloric metaplasia" led the Authors to hypothesize that the latter may be a trivial event.