Identification of vessels by lectin-immunoperoxidase staining of endothelium: possible applications in urogenital malignancies.

Ulex europaeus agglutinin I binds specifically to vascular endothelium of various human tissues irrespective of the blood group type or secretive status of the tissue. Using this property, we have developed an immunoperoxidase technique to identify vessel structures in urogenital tissues. Most vessels in malignant and nonmalignant tissues of bladder, prostate and testis of different blood types (A, B, AB and O) can be readily identified by this method. This technique has potential application in detecting tumor cell invasion of vessels and in studying distribution of vessels in relation to various normal and pathological events.