Argyrophilic cells occur rarely in the normal cervix but are found in a variety of invasive tumours arising in the cervix. We searched for argyrophilic cells by using Grimelius staining in 25 cases of high-grade intraepithelial glandular neoplasia of the cervix and identified them in seven cases. This study shows that argyrophilic cells are also often found in preinvasive glandular lesions of the cervix.