Mapping Goblet Cells in Mucous Membranes

Abstract

A method is described for determining the number of goblet cells of the villi and crypts of Lieberkuhn in the small intestine with an accuracy far exceeding that which appears to be possible by counting on tissue sections. In groups of intact villi or crypts, previously isolated by microdissection, the goblet cells are stained, with as little staining as possible of the other tissue elements; thereafter the preparations are made transparent by embedding in a medium possessing a refractive index similar to that of the tissue. The staining is performed by the McManus-Hotchkiss periodic-leucofuchsin method (1948) with the modification that SchifPs reagent is diluted with 3 parts of water, the staining period cut down to 2V4–3 minutes, and the rinsing with bisulfite solution to 4–6 minutes. The embedding medium consists of colophonium and quinine hydrochloride in anise oil (Aurell, 1938). By this procedure, all the stained cells of the preparation may be visualized by manipulating the fine adjustment of the microscope. Counting of the goblet cells of the villi may be performed with great accuracy by projecting the picture of the preparation from the microscope on sectional paper and placing dots in the positions of the stained cells. The degree of magnification is determined by a corresponding projection of the scale of a micrometer disc.