On the other hand, incomplete intestinal metaplasia is characterized by columnar “intermediate” cells at various differentiation stages, irregular mucin droplets, and a lack of a brush border, while still maintaining gastric mucin markers alongside the presence of intestinal mucin MUC2.58,59 Earlier gastric metaplasia classifications relied on traditional mucin staining methods (such as periodic acid-Schiff, Alcian blue, and high iron diamine) and cell morphology. This evidence concerns the gene MUC5AC and Gastric Metaplasia.