MUC2 and infection: Muc2 seems to be the main phenotypic determinant of goblet cells, and, in the absence of Muc2, goblet cells lose their characteristic goblet-like shape and specific staining, but the goblet cell lineage is still present.6,11 Interestingly, after infection there was an increase in PAS-positive goblet cells in the Muc2-deficient mice.