Objective: 1. To study the mucin spectrum in cholelithiasis, 2. To study the histomorphology of calculous cholecystitis, 3. To correlate mucin histochemistry with the histopathological findings. Materials and Methods: Histopathologically diagnosed cases of chronic calculous cholecystitis were taken. The study included 30 cases. Special stains like PAS (for neutral mucin), alcian blue-ph2.5(for sialomucin) and alcian blue pH 1(sulfomucin) were done on all 30 cases. Slides were assessed as per proforma. Results: The gall stone disease showed female preponderance. There was increase in sialomucin and neutral mucin in contrast to normal gall bladder(where sulfomucin predominates). Pigment stones seen more common than cholesterol stones. Gastric metaplasia is more common than intestinal. Conclusion: In chronic calculous cholecystitis, intraepithelial sulfated mucin reduces and sialomucin and neutral mucin increases. Cases with severe inflammation(grade III) showed the maximum decrease in sulfomucin and increase in sialomucin scores.The sialomucin showed increasing scores with degree of fibrosis. Gastric metaplasia had highest incidence(53.8%) in severe inflammation and was associated with increase in sialomucin.

Keywords: Alcian Blue; Cholecystitis; Metaplasia; Mucins; Periodic Acid Schiff.