Far-Eastern interpretation of cellular pathology: yang-type components of a pancreatic acinar tumor.

Conjugates of a sialic acid-binding lectin, limulin, with rhodamine and horseradish peroxidase, were used to detect yang-type components at the surface of pancreatic carcinoma cells. Fluorescence microscopy of frozen sections revealed an even distribution of yang residues over the surface of neoplastic cells, in contrast to the polarized one on normal acinar cells. Electron microscopy indicated a lower concentration of yang-type molecules on the tumor cell surface than on its normal counterpart. It was concluded that the neoplastic process induces an alteration of yin/yang ratio at cellular level.