Summary
The epithelial lining of the anal canal is of colo-rectal type in the upper part and squamous in the lower part, while the middle zone is called the anal transitional zone (ATZ). This zone is characterized by an epithelium which bears a resemblance to that of the anal glands and shows little mucus secretion. The histochemical properties of the mucins in the epithelium of 39 anal canals, resected for ano-rectal adenocarcinoma, basaloid carcinoma, squamous carcinoma and malignant melanoma were investigated. The study reveals that (1) the mucin composition of the ATZ epithelium corresponds to that of the anal glands, being characterized by a mixture of sulpho- and sialomucins with scarcity or absence ofO-acylated sialic acids; and (2) cases with carcinomas located near the dentate line show changes in the mucin composition of the adjoining anal canal epithelium, regardless of tumour type. In colo-rectal type mucosa, these mucins consist of increasing amounts of sialomucins with a predominance ofN-acyl derivatives, and in the anal could be detected in the ATZ epithelium. It is concluded that rectal and anal glands in the anal canal are exposed to stimuli which alter the normal process of glycoprotein synthesis and secretion. The changes seem to be secondary to tumour growth and independent of the histological type of tumour.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Culling, C. F. A., Reid, P. E., Burton, J. D. &Dunn, W. L. (1975) A histochemical method of differentiating lower gastrointestinal tract mucins from other mucins in primary or metastatic tumours.J. clin. Path. 28, 656–58.
Culling, C. F. A., Reid, P. E., Clay, M. G. &Dunn, W. L. (1974) The histochemical demonstration ofO-acylated sialic acid in gastrointestinal mucins. Their association with the potassium hydroxide-periodic acid-Schiff effects.J. Histochem. Cytochem. 22, 826–31.
Culling, C. F. A., Reid, P. E., Worth, A. J. &Dunn, W. L. (1977) A new histochemical technique of use in the interpretation and diagnosis of adenocarcinoma and villous lesions in the large intestine.J. clin. Path. 30, 1056–62.
Dawson, P. A., Patel, J. &Filipe, M. I. (1978) Variations in sialomucins in the mucosa of the large intestine in malignancy: a quantimet and statistical analysis.Histochem. J. 10, 559–72.
Fenger, C. (1978) The anal transitional zone. A method for macroscopic demonstration.Acta path. microbiol. scand. Sec. A. 86, 225–30.
Fenger, C. (1979) The anal transitional zone. Location and extent.Acta path. microbiol. scand., Sec. A. 87, 379–86.
Fenger, C. &Filipe, M. I. (1977) Pathology of the anal glands with special reference to their mucin histochemistry.Acta path. microbiol. scand., Sec. A. 85, 273–85.
Fenger, C. &Knoth, M. (1981) The anal transitional zone. A scanning and transmission electron microscopic investigation of the surface epithelium.Ultrastruct. Path. 2, 163–73.
Filipe, M. I. (1975) Mucous secretion in rat colonic mucosa during carcinogenesis induced by dimethylhydrazine. A morphological and histochemical study.Br. J. Cancer 32, 60–77.
Filipe, M. I. (1979) Mucins in the human gastrointestinal epithelium — A review.Invest. Cell. Pathol. 2, 195–216.
Filipe, M. I. &Branfoot, A. C. (1974) Abnormal patterns of mucous secretion in apparently normal mucosa of large intestine with carcinoma.Cancer 34, 282–90.
Filipe, M. I. &Branfoot, A. C. (1976) Mucin histochemistry of the colon. InCurrent Topics in Pathology, Pathology of the Gastrointestinal Tracts (edited byMorson, B. C.), Vol. 63, pp. 143–178. Berlin, Heidelberg, New York: Springer-Verlag.
Filipe, M. I. &Cooke, K. B. (1974) Changes in the composition of mucins in the mucosa adjacent to carcinoma of the colon as compared with the normal: a biochemical investigation.J. clin. Path. 27, 315–8.
Filipe, M. I., Mughal, S. & Bussey, H. J. (1980) Patterns of mucus secretion in the colonic epithelium in familialPolyposis coli. Invest. Cell. Pathol. 3 (in press).
Filipe, M. I., Scurr, J. & Ellis, H. (1980) Faecal stream and diet in experimental colonic carcinogenesis: effect on glycoprotein synthesis and tumour production.Symposium on experimental colonic cancer, IAP Congress, Paris.
Morson, B. C. &Dawson, I. M. P. (1979)Gastrointestinal Pathology. 2nd edn. Oxford, London: Blackwell Scientific Publications.
Pearse, A. G. E. (1968)Histochemistry. Theoretical and Applied, 3rd edn., Vol. 1. London: Churchill-Livingstone.
Reid, P. E., Culling, C. F. A. &Dunn, W. L. (1973) Saponification induced increase in the periodic acid-Schiff reaction in the gastrointestinal tract. Mechanism and distribution of the reactive substance.J. Histochem. Cytochem. 21, 473–82.
Reid, P. E., Culling, C. F. A., Dunn, W. L., Ramey, C. W., Magil, A. B. &Clay, M. G. (1980) Differences between theO-acylated sialic acids in the epithelial mucins of human colonic tumours and normal controls.J. Histochem. Cytochem. 28, 217–22.
Rogers, C. M., Cooke, K. B. &Filipe, M. I. (1978) Sialic acids of human large bowel mucosa:O-acylated variants in normal and malignant states.Gut 19, 587–92.
Spicer, S. S. (1965) Diamine methods for differentiating mucosubstances histochemically.J. Histochem. Cytochem. 13, 211–34.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Fenger, C., Filipe, M.I. Mucin histochemistry of the anal canal epithelium. Studies of normal anal mucosa and mucosa adjacent to carcinoma. Histochem J 13, 921–930 (1981). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01002632
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01002632