[Immunohistological study of cell differentiation in human gastro-intestinal cancers]

Using Immunofluorescence, we are able to reveal in the normal adult gastrointestinal tract well differentiated mucus cells which are specialized in the synthesis of one type of antigens called M. Mucus cells of surface epithelium show M1 antigens, those of gastric and intestinal glands respectively M2 and M3 antigens. In the Fetus, immature mucus cells contain two type of M antigens: either M1M2 (Stomach) or M1M3 (colon). Certain histological types of gastrointestinal adenocarcinomas as well as digestive precancerous lesions show such "fetal type" associations which appear as modifications of cell differenciation associated with malignant process.