ISSN:
1432-2307
Keywords:
Pancreatic endocrine cells
;
Insulinomas
;
Gastrinomas
;
WDHA tumours
;
Ultrastructure
Source:
Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
Topics:
Medicine
Notes:
Summary Up to seven endocrine cell types have been identified ultrastructurally in the pancreas, including glucagon A cells, insulin B cells, somatostatin D cells, pancreatic peptide F cells and 5-hydroxytryptamine EC cells. In addition, D1 cells, which have been proposed as the cell type producing VIP and possible P cells of unknown function are seen. Various patterns of endocrine cell differentiation have been found in 20 endocrine pancreatic tumours. Well and poorly differentiated B cells have been identified in 6 insulinomas, diagnostic G cells in 3 out of 7 gastrinomas, D1 and/or F cells in 7 diarrheogenic tumours. Moreover, cells apparently unrelated to the prevalent clinical syndrome have been noted in 8 of the 20 tumours. Granular non diagnostic cells (poorly diagnostic gastrin cells? D1 cells?) were particularly frequent in gastrinomas; agranular or poorly granular cells, either of “active” or “stem cell” type, were present in nearly all tumours, particularly in diarrheogenic tumours, gastrinomas and malignant insulinomas. A cytological classification of pancreatic endocrine tumours is proposed.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/BF00432532
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