[Structure and histochemical characteristics of the mucosa of the Vater's ampulla in man (according to materials of aimed biopsies)].

Examination of 52 aimed duodenal biopsies has revealed that there are several variants of the structure of the Vater's papilla mucous membrane. In a number of cases it is identicalto the mucous membrane of the duodenum. In 20 cases the Vater's papilla was covered with mucoid epithelium which was histochemically similar to the epithelium lining the stomach, bile ducts and the gallbladder. The "intermedial" forms found in these cases appearedto be capable to change into mucoid or edging epithelium. The mucous cells occasionally found in the Vater's papilla epithelium might be a variation of goblet cells. It seems that they are secreting by holocrine type.