ISSN:
1432-2307
Keywords:
Bronchial carcinoid
;
Oncocytoma
;
Electron microscopy
Source:
Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
Topics:
Medicine
Notes:
Summary We describe a bronchial tumor with a biphasic pattern. The main cellular population is composed of large cells with eosinophilic cytoplasm packed with mitochondria. These oncocytes countain few dense-core membrane limited granules. The secondary cell population has the morphological and histochemical features that characterize the typical bronchial carcinoid. A third cell type, recognizable at ultrastructural level, contains numerous neurosecretory granules and abundant large mitochondria, seeming therefore to represent a transitional cell form. We assume that oncocytes and carcinoid cells, found in the same tumor with intermediate forms, represent the extremes of a morphological spectrum. Furthermore, the oncocytic cytoplasmic components (neurosecretory granules and the mitochondria) are present in reciprocal arrangement in the carcinoid cells. These observations, together with similar reported cases suggest that the oncocytic state corresponds to a functional stage. We consider that oncocytes from this endobronchial tumor and from similar pathologic conditions reported in the literature correspond to carcinoid cells with mitochondrial hyperplasia and with diminished endocrine activity. This oncocytic carcinoid tumor is associated, in the same pulmonary lobe, with a second neoplasm that has the histological and ultrastructural features of a poorly differentiated carcinoid (oat-cell carcinoma).
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/BF00432783
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