Summary
Adamantinoma of bone is a rare tumor, and fine structural analysis has been done in only a few cases. We report four cases studied by electron microscopy and immunohistochemical methods. Ultrastructural evaluation revealed a characteristic constellation of features, including intracellular bundles of type I microfilaments, moderate numbers of evenly dispersed mitochondria, scattered profiles of rough endoplasmic reticulum, occasional Golgi bodies and lysosomes, and scattered glycogen particles. Microvillous processes and desmosomes were identified in all tumors. Well-formed basement membranes enveloped cell clusters but did not surround individual cells. Intercellular basement membrane-like material also was found focally in pools. Ultrastructural features of endothelial differentiation, including Weibel-Palade bodies, micropinocytotic vesicles, and tight junctions, were not identified. Immunoperoxidase stains for coagulation factor VIII (von Willebrand factor) and blood group antigens were negative, whereas similar stains for keratin were positive. Our findings strongly suggest that adamantinoma is a neoplasm expressing definite epithelial, rather than endothelial, characteristics.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Albores Saavedra J, Diaz Gutiérrez D, Altamirano Dimas M (1968) Adamantinoma de la tibia. Observaciones ultraestructurales. Rev Med Hosp Gen Mex 31:241–252
Altmannsberger M, Weber K, Hölscher A, Schauer A, Osborn M (1982) Antibodies to intermediate filaments as diagnostic tools. Human gastrointestinal carcinomas express prekeratin. Lab Invest 46:520–526
Battifora H, Sun T-T, Bahu RM, Rao S (1980) The use of antikeratin antiserum as a diagnostic tool. Thymoma versus lymphoma. Hum Pathol 11:635–641
Cooper HS, D'Elia FL (1982) Comparison between the methods of indirect immunofluorescence and specific red cell adherence in detecting ABH ISO-antigens in bladder carcinoma. Am J Clin Pathol 77:548–554
Ectors P, Muanza E, Heimann R, Ketelbant-Balasse P, Danis A (1979) L'adamantiome du tibia. Aspects ultrastructuraux, artériographiques et isotopiques. Acta Orthop Belg 45:577–586
Köhler G, Rossner JA, Waldherr R (1974) Zur Struktur und Differentialdiagnose des sog. Tibia-Adamantinomes. Eine licht- und elektronenoptische Untersuchung. Verh Dtsch Ges Pathol 58:454–458
Limas C, Lange P, Fraley EE, Vessella RL (1979) A, B, H antigens in transitional cell tumors of the urinary bladder. Correlation with the clinical course. Cancer 44:2099–2107
Llombart-Bosch A, Ortuño-Pacheco G (1978) Ultrastructural findings supporting the angioblastic nature of the so-called adamantinoma of the tibia. Histopathology 2:189–200
Mori H, Shima R, Nakanishi H, Yoshida A, Fukunishi R (1981) Adamantinoma of the tibia. A case report and statistical review of reported cases. Acta Pathol Jpn 31:701–709
Mukai K, Rosai J (1980) Applications of immunoperoxidase techniques in surgical pathology. Prog Surg Pathol 1:15–49
Newman AJ Jr, Carlton CE Jr, Johnson S (1980) Cell surface A, B or O(H) blood group antigens as an indicator of malignant potential in stage A bladder carcinoma. J Urol 124:27–29
Rosai J (1969) Adamantinoma of the tibia. Electron microscopic evidence of its epithelial origin. Am J Clin Pathol 51:786–792
Rosai J, Summer HW, Kostianovsky M, Perez-Mesa C (1976) Angiosarcoma of the skin. A clinicopathologic and fine structural study. Hum Pathol 7:83–109
Schlegel R, Banks-Schlegel S, Pinkus GS (1980) Immunohistochemical localization of keratin in normal human tissues. Lab Invest 42:91–96
Steiner GC, Dorfman HD (1972) Ultrastructure of hemangioendothelial sarcoma of bone. Cancer 29:122–135
Unni KK, Dahlin DC, Beabout JW, Ivins JC (1974) Adamantinomas of long bones. Cancer 34:1796–1805
Van Haelst UJGM, de Haas van Dorsser AH (1975) A perplexing malignant bone tumor. Highly malignant so-called adamantinoma or nontypical Ewing's sarcoma. Virchows Arch [Pathol Anat] 365:63–74
Wick MR, Ruebner BH, Carney JA (1981) Gastric tumors in patients with pulmonary chondroma or extra-adrenal paraganglioma. An ultrastructural study. Arch Pathol Lab Med 105:527–531
Yoneyama T, Winter WG, Milsow L (1977) Tibial adamantinoma. Its histogenesis from ultrastructural studies. Cancer 40:1138–1142
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Knapp, R.H., Wick, M.R., Scheithauer, B.W. et al. Adamantinoma of bone. Vichows Archiv A Pathol Anat 398, 75–86 (1982). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00585615
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00585615