MUCIN-ASSOCIATED ANTIGENS AS MARKERS OF G ASTROINTESTINAL DIFFERENTIATION AND CARCINOGENESIS

Mucins are heavily glycosylated glycoproteins which exhibit a variety of antigenic determinants consisting of carbohydrates and/or peptide s equences. The application of monoclonal antibodies and lectins in immu nohistochemistry resulted in a considerable extension of knowledge reg arding their topography during I histogenesis. Additionally, typical a lterations of antigenic profiles during neoplastic transformation of c ells and tissues were described. A number of new results are in keepin g with the assumption that mucin-associated antigens play an important role in tumor biology, for example metastasis, and as markers of prog nosis. The purpose of the present paper is to give a review, including the authors' own results, of knowledge on the gastrointestinal mucin antigens in experimental and clinical pathology.