RESUMEN
This paper compares the results of application of various methods of histochemical and immunohistochemical staining of mast cells (MC) in human myocardium after formalin fixation and paraffin embedding of the material. It was shown that the optimal methods for description of their structure were toluidine blue staining and and Giemsa stain, while alcian blue staining represented the most suitable histochemical method for MC counting. In combination with immunohistochemical detection of synaptophysin, it could be used for identification of co-localization of MC and nerve terminals in the myocardium. Combined staining of MC with alcian blue and safranin is not suitable for human formalin-fixed myocardial MC. Immunohistochemical techniques of MC tryptase and chymase demonstration appear to be more sensitive when compared with histochemical methods, and allow the most comprehensive quantitative description of human myocardial MC population.