Figure 1
The distribution patterns of mast cells in primary colon cancer, lymph node metastasis and normal regional-draining lymph node. The tryptase-positive mast cells were stained using an immunohistochemical assay (×400). Higher frequencies of mast cells occurred in the mucosa adjacent to the colon cancer (MCCadjacent, Figure 1B) and in the regional-draining lymph node without metastasis (MCClnwm, Figure 1E) than occurred in the lymph node metastasis (MCCslnm and MCCalnm, Figure 1C and Figure 1D) and the stroma of the primary colon cancer (MCCstroma, Figure 1A). Ca: cancer tissue; Ly: lymph node; Mu: colon mucosa.