It remains to be investigated whether all mucins (MUC1, MUC2, MUC4, MUC 5AC, MUC 5B, MUC6 etc.)[21,22] may carry these sialylated and sulfated oligosaccharidic sidechains detected in intestinal metaplasia, gastric carcinoma and cholelithiasis. The gene discussed is MUC2; the disease is cholelithiasis.