Summary
Electron optical and enzyme histochemical investigations carried out on four craniopharyngiomas and their tissue cultures demonstrated that the tumour elements are keratinizing epithelial cells, plenty of tonofilaments, glycogen granules, mitochondria and desmosomes. Their ultrastructural and histochemical characteristics are the same in every part of the tumour (solid; cystic; “adamantinoma-like”). In the keratinizing cells, the reactions for non-specific esterases were high positive.
The ultrastructural characteristics of the tumour cells grownin vitro are the same as thosein situ; the cells remain attached to one another by desmosomes and retain their capacity to produce keratine. This therefore seems to be a primary characteristic of the tumour cells and not a secondary dysmetabolic disturbance. Calcium was found onlyin situ. That the tumour cells may produce enamelin situ seems to be possible, but it could not be confirmed with certainty.
The glial proliferation which is always presentin situ, is reactive and not neoplastic; thein vitro new built cell colonies consist only of epithelial elements.
Similar content being viewed by others
Literatur
Bingas, B., Wolter, M.: Das Kraniopharyngiom. Fortschr. Neurol. Psychiat.36, 118–195 (1968)
Cardauns, H.: Über Verkalkungen in Kraniopharyngiomen. IV. Int. Kongr. f. Neuropath., Vol. I, pp. 218–221. München: G. Thieme 1961
Cobb, J. P., Wright, I. C.: Studies on a craniopharyngioma in tissue culture. J. Neuropath. exp. Neurol.18, 563–568 (1959)
Ebe, T., Kobayashi, S.: Fine structure of human cells and tissues. Stuttgart-New York: F. K. Schattauer 1972
Fotakis, N. S.: Zur Frage der Keratinbildung im Kraniopharyngiom (Erdheim-Tumor). Acta histochem. (Jena)12, 12–25 (1961a)
Fotakis, N. S.: Über die formale Genese von Keratinformationen in Kraniopharyngiomen. Dtsch. Z. Nervenheilk.181, 581–592 (1961b)
Ghatak, N. R., Hirano, A., Zimmerman, H. M.: Ultrastructure of a craniopharyngioma. Cancer21, 1465–1475 (1971)
Goslar, H. G.: Ein Beitrag zur elektiven Darstellung der Keratine und zum histochemischen Verhalten anderer Disulfidverbindungen in der Haut. Acta histochem. (Jena)5, 39–48 (1957)
Gullotta, F.: Zur in-vitro-Diagnostik gliös-mesenchymaler Mischgeschwülste. Dtsch. Z. Nervenheilk.186, 323–335 (1964)
Gullotta, F., Fliedner, E.: Spongioblastomas, Astrocytomas and Rosenthal fibers. Ultrastructural, tissue culture and enzyme histochemical investigations. Acta neuropath. (Berl.)22, 68–78 (1972)
Herpersberg, H.: Üntersuchungen über den Verhornungsprozeß in der Epidermis. Z. Zellforsch.45, 569–577 (1967)
Hirano, A., Ghatak, N. R., Zimmerman, H. M.: Fenestrated blood vessels in craniopharyngioma. Acta neuropath. (Berl.)26, 171–177 (1973)
Kalnins, V.: Calcification and amelogenesis in craniopharyngiomas. Ora Surg.31, 366–379 (1971)
Kersting, G.: Die Gewebszüchtung menschlicher Hirngeschwülste. Berlin-Göttingen-Heidelberg: Springer 1961
Kersting, G.: Die Großhirngeschwülste des Kindesalters. Verh. dtsch. Ges. Path.55, 311–314 (1971)
Landolt, A. M.: Die Ultrastruktur des Kraniopharyngioms. Schweiz. Arch. Neurol. Neurochir. Psychiat.111, 313–328 (1972)
Matoltsy, A. G., Parakkal, P. F.: Membrane coating granules of keratinizing epithelia. J. Cell Biol.24, 297–307 (1965)
Müller, W.: Laboratoriumsblätter Marburg7, 39 (1957)
Novikoff, A. B.: Lysosomes and related particles. In: J. Brachet and A. E. Mirsky: The cell, Vol. II. New York-London: Academic Press 1961
Pannese, E.: Observations on the ultrastructure of the enamel organ. J. Ultrastruct. Res.4, 372–400 (1960)
Rubinstein, L. J.: Tumors of the central nervous system. Washington: Armed Forces Institute of Pathology 1972
Rupec, M.: Die Ultrastruktur der Epidermis. In: W. Doerr, G. Seifert, and E. Uehlinger: Spezielle pathologische Anatomie, Vol. 7. Berlin-Heidelberg-New York: Springer 1973
Spigolon, G., Maurizio, E.: Aspetti istopatologici e rilievi istogenetici sul cosidetto tumore di Erdheim. Riv. Anat. pat.24, 142–186 (1963)
Thoenes, W.: Zytoplasmatische Aspekte der Onkozytologie. Verh. dtsch. Ges. Path.57, 61–81 (1973)
Zülch, K. J.: Die Hirngeschwülste. Leipzig: Joh. Ambrosius Barth 1958
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
Mit freundlicher Unterstützung der Deutschen Forschungsgemeinschaft.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Genth, J., Gullotta, F. & Serra, J.P. Elektronenoptische und enzymhistochemische Vergleichsuntersuchungen an Kraniopharyngiomen und ihren Gewebekulturen. Acta Neuropathol 28, 331–341 (1974). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00685287
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00685287