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Authors examined 18 cases of osteoclastoma chosen at random with different lectins. The fibroblast-like type I stromal cells taking part in the formation of the ground substance were Con A positive. The strength of the Con A bond and the number of positive cells increased with the progress of the stage. The PNA lectin bond following the digestion with neuraminidase was in the single stages of different character and intensity. Whereas in the Gr I osteeoclastomas 30 per cent of the reacting osteoclast was localized to a well defined segment of the membrane in the Gr III tumors the ratio of the negative cells moved around 1 per cent, and in 60 per cent of the positive cells strong diffuse intracytoplasmatic reaction could be observed. Authors think that the lectin histochemical examinations give help to the definition of the activity of the tumor forming cells.

We have used the lectins Arachis hypogaea (PNA), Canavalia ensiformis (Con A) and Triticum vulgaris (WGA) for the examination of bone forming cells in 8 variously differentiated cases of myositis ossificans. The development of myositis ossificans could be characterized with the appearance of a WGA binding cell population. In this cell population the lectin binding spots may be found in the perinuclear cytoplasm, possibly in the Golgi complex. The lectin binding of the bone forming cells has disappeared in the ripe myositis ossificans. We think that the WGA binding cell population may be equal with the progenitor cells, wandering in form the stroma ot the bone marrow and that the ability of WGA binding may be a characteristic developmental marker of these cells.

The use of lectins in histochemical research substantially contributed to the knowledge on carbohydrates. This paper is a preliminary report of findings with lectin histochemistry on normal and pathological bone tissue.

The peanut-agglutinin binding of lymph node follicles was studied in frozen and paraffin sections of human tonsils. In a substantial fraction (10-25%) of follicles focal zones of high PNA receptor expression were encountered which were more readily recognizable in paraffin sections and corresponded to the centrocytous, "light" zone of the follicle. Results suggest that divergent lectin binding of follicles reflects their different functional states.

In contrast to the diffuse isotropic staining of control granulocytes activated ones by the 4th hour of experiment with phagocytosis show an intensive anisotropic staining with the topo-optical reaction of vicinal OH-groups i.e. ABT reaction. Appearance of the intensive birefringence is in a close connection with the significant increase of the glycoprotein content of granulocytes detectable also by other biochemical techniques. This phenomenon is not influenced neither by the nature of activating particules nor by the fact of their engulfing. Thus accumulation of glycoproteins may be considered as a phenomenon of general activation of granulocytes. Electronmicroscopically the main quantity of glycoproteins accumulated may be demonstrated in the primary granules. Intensive positive spheritic birefringence of these granules detected in semithin sections by ABT reaction seems to indicate that vicinal OH groups of the accumulated glycogen are aligned parallel to the surface of granules in highly linear molecular orientation which indicates the existence of a close connection between glycoproteins and lysosome membranes. Considering the increased glycogen content of Golgi membranes of activated cells it can be assumed that it is synthesized de novo in the first 4 hour of the activation process. Experimental model described makes possible a detailed morphological and biochemical study of accumulated glycogen and assessment of its functional importance.

Selective topo-optical and impregnation technique for the demonstration of acid mucopolysaccharides, neutral polysaccharides, collagen, elastic fibres and membranes, smooth muscle cell i.e. structural elements of the vessel wall are described. These techniques are simple and reliable and may be used for the every-day pathohistological diagnostics. Their parallel application provides further possibilities for the study of the structure and various pathological alterations of the vessel wall. It should be stressed, that on the basis of the analysis of optical effects--birefringence, dichroism, metachromasia--these techniques provide opportunity to detect early structural lesions, which by the application of conventional techniques can not be detected.

Reaction with aldehyd-bisulfit-toluidinblue (ABT)--as a selective topo-optical reaction for vicinal OH-and amino-OH groups, appears to be suitable for demonstration of bacteria in tissues. Cell membranes and capsules of bacteria and fungi contain large quantity of carbo-hydrates, therefore they show strong basophilic staining after ABT reaction. Double refringement brought about by orientated dye-binding seems to be the sign of the linear arrangement of polysaccharides composing cell membranes and capsules of bacteria. Practical importance of the reaction is shown on examples. Diagnostic advantages of it are also discussed.