Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Ultrastructure of cerebellar capillary hemangioblastoma

II. Mast cells and angiogenesis

  • Original Works
  • Published:
Acta Neuropathologica Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Summary

The topographic distribution, population density, and ultrastructural features of mast cells were studied in six cases of cerebellar capillary hemangioblastoma. The vascular area of tumor tissue contained large numbers of mast cells (6.3 cells/high power field, ×400) in comparison with hyalinized area (0.3 cell) and adjacent cerebellar tissue (<0.1 cell). Close association of mast cells with endothelial cells and stromal cells was found. The morphology of mast cell granules and their degranulation through dissolution of granule contents and exocytosis were illustrated. The findings suggest that an increased number of mast cells may represent one of the characteristic histological features of capillary hemangioblastoma, and continuous degranulation of mast cell granules with release of heparin may play an important pathophysiologic role in the vascular proliferation and expansion of the tumor.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Azizkhan RG, Azizkhan JC, Zetter BR (1980) Mast cell hepatin stimulates migration of capillary endothelial cells in vitro. J Exp Med 152:931–944

    Google Scholar 

  2. Barnett ML (1974) The fine structure of human connective tissue in periodontal disease. J Periodont Res 9:84–91

    Google Scholar 

  3. Baroni C (1964) On the relationship of mast cells to various soft tissue tumors. Br J Cancer 18:686–691

    Google Scholar 

  4. Belcher RW, Czarnetzki BM, Carney JF, Gardner E (1974) Multiple (subeutaneous) angiolipomas. Clinical, pathologic and pharmacologic studies. Arch Dermatol 110:583–585

    Google Scholar 

  5. Clooms GD (1974) Structural and biochemical characteristics of mast cells. In: Zweifach BW, Grant L, McCluskey RT (eds) The inflammatory process, vol 1, chap 10. Academic Press, New York, pp 295–312

    Google Scholar 

  6. Cancilla PA, Zimmerman HM (1965) The fine structure of a cerebellar hemangioblastoma. J Neuropathol Exp Neurol 24: 621–628

    Google Scholar 

  7. Caulfield JP, Lewis RA, Hein A, Austen KF (1980) Secretion in dissociated human pulmonary mast cells. J Cell Biol 85:299–312

    Google Scholar 

  8. Cervós-Navarro J (1971) Elektronenmikroskopie der Hämangioblastome des ZNS und der angioblastischen Meningiome. Acta Neuropathol (Berl) 19:184–207

    Google Scholar 

  9. Chandhry AP, Montes M, Cohn GA (1978) Ultrastructure of cerebellar hemangioblastoma. Cancer 42:1834–1850

    Google Scholar 

  10. Cohen MP, Frank RN, Khalifa AA (1980) Collagen production by cultured retinal capillary pericytes. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 19:90–94

    Google Scholar 

  11. Combs JW, Lagunoff D, Benditt EP (1965) Differentiation and proliferation of embryonic mast cells of the rat. J Cell Biol 25:577–592

    Google Scholar 

  12. Cowley EP, Hoch-Legeti C (1961) Association of tissue mast cells in skin tumors. Arch Dermatol 83:92–104

    Google Scholar 

  13. Dalion J (1965) Mastocytes et tumerus vasculaires. J Sci Med 83:683–691

    Google Scholar 

  14. Dropp JJ (1979) Mast cells in the human brain. Acta Anat 105:505–513

    Google Scholar 

  15. Dvorak Am, Galli SJ, Schulman ES, Lichtenstein LM, Dvorak HF (1983) Basophil and mast cell degranulation: Ultrastructural analysis of mechanisms of mediator release. Fed Proc 42:2510–2515

    Google Scholar 

  16. Eady RAJ, Jones EW (1977) Pseudopyogenic granuloma. Enzyme histochemical and ultrastructural study. Human Pathol 8:653–668

    Google Scholar 

  17. Ehrlich P (1879) Beiträge zur Kenntnis der granuleirten Bindegewebszellen und der eosinophilen Leukocyten. Arch Anat Physiol 3:166

    Google Scholar 

  18. Giani E (1964) Sul comportamanto della metacromasia stromale and delle mastzellen nei tumori di origine mesenchimale. G Ital Chir 20:95–109

    Google Scholar 

  19. Glowacki J, Mulliken JB (1982) Mast cells in hemangiomas and vascular malformations. Pediatrics 70:48–51

    Google Scholar 

  20. Greenberg G, Burnstock G (1983) A novel cell-to-cell interaction between mast cells and other cell types. Exp Cell Res 147:1–13

    Google Scholar 

  21. Henriquez AS, Kenyon KR, Allansmith MR (1981) Mast cell ultrastructure. Comparison in contact lens-associated giant papillary conjunctivitis and vernal conjunctivitis. Arch Ophthalmol 99:1266–1272

    Google Scholar 

  22. Ho KL (1984) Ultrastructure of cerebellar capillary hemangioblastoma. I. Weibel-Palade bodies and stromal cell histogenesis. J Neuropathol Exp Neurol (in press)

  23. Ibrihim MZM (1974) The mast cells of the mammalian central nervous system. I. Morphology, distribution and histochemistry. J Neurol Sci 21:341–478

    Google Scholar 

  24. Janes J, McDonald JR (1948) Mast cells. Their distribution in various human tissues. Arch Pathol 45:622–632

    Google Scholar 

  25. Jaques LB (1975) The mast cells in the light of new knowledge of heparin and sulfated mucopolysaccharides. Gen Pharmacol 6:235–243

    Google Scholar 

  26. Johansson S, Hook M (1980) Heparin enhances the rate of binding of fibronectin to collagen. Biochem J 187:521–524

    Google Scholar 

  27. Kawamura J, Garcia JH, Kamijyo Y (1973) Cerebellar hemangioblastoma: Histogenesis of stroma cells. Cancer 31:1528–1539

    Google Scholar 

  28. Kawanami O, Ferrans VJ, Fulmer JD, Crystal RG (1979) Ultrastructure of pulmonary mast cells in patients with fibrotic lung disorders. Lab Invest 40:717–734

    Google Scholar 

  29. Kessler DA, Langer RS, Pless NA, Folkman J (1976) Mast cells and tumor angiogenesis. Int J Cancer 18:703–709

    Google Scholar 

  30. Kim CS, Lee YB (1978) Mast cell changes in skin disease. Yonsei Med J 19:16–24

    Google Scholar 

  31. Kumar P, Kumar S, Marsden HB, Lynch PG, Earnshaw E (1980) Weibel-Palade bodies in endothelial cells as a marker for angiogenesis in brain tumors. Cancer Res 40:2010–2019

    Google Scholar 

  32. Lagunoff D (1972) Contribution of electron microscopy to the study of mast cells. J Invest Dermatol 58:296–311

    Google Scholar 

  33. Lagunoff D, Pritzl P (1976) Characterization of rat mast cell granule proteins. Arch Biochem Biophys 173:554–563

    Google Scholar 

  34. Lascano EF (1959) Mast cells in human tumors. Cancer 11:1110–1114

    Google Scholar 

  35. Lemanske RF, Jr, Atkins FM, Metcalfe DD (1983) Gastrointestinal mast cells in health and disease. Part I. J Pediatr 103:177–183

    Google Scholar 

  36. Marom Z, Casale TB (1983) Mast cells and their mediators. Ann Allergy 50:367–370

    Google Scholar 

  37. Metcalfe DD, Kaliner M, Donlon MA (1981) The mast cell. CRC Crit Rev Immunol 3:23–74

    Google Scholar 

  38. Mottaz JH, Zellekson AS, Thorne EG, Wachs G (1973) Blood vessel changes in psoriatic skin. Acta Derm Venerol (Stockh) 53:195–198

    Google Scholar 

  39. Murad TM, Von Haam E, Murthy MSN (1968) Ultrastructure of a hemangiopericytoma and a glomus tumor. Cancer 22:1239–1249

    Google Scholar 

  40. Pasyk KA, Grabb WC, Cherry GW (1983) Ultrastructure of mast cells in growing and involuting stages of hemangiomas. Hum Pathol 14:174–181

    Google Scholar 

  41. Quensel U (1933) Studien über die Gewebsmastzellen. Acta Pathol Biol Scand [Suppl] 16:358–569

    Google Scholar 

  42. Riley JF (1959) The mast cells. Livingstone, Edinburgh

    Google Scholar 

  43. Ryan TJ (1970) Factors influencing the growth of vascular endothelium in the skin. Br J Dermatol [Suppl 5] 82:99–111

    Google Scholar 

  44. Sage H, Crough E, Bornstein P (1979) Collagen synthesis by bovine aortic endothelial cells in culture. Biochemistry 18:5433–5442

    Google Scholar 

  45. Sagher F, Even-Paz Z (1967) Mastocytosis and the mast cell. Year Book Med Pub. Chicago, p 246

    Google Scholar 

  46. Sakamoto S, Goldhaber P, Glimcher MJ (1973) Mouse bone collagenase: The effect of heparin on the amount of enzyme released in tissue culture and on the activity of the enzyme. Calcif Tissue Res 12:247–258

    Google Scholar 

  47. Selye H (1965) The mast cell. Butterworth, Washington, p 293

    Google Scholar 

  48. Simpson JW, Taylor AC (1974) Regulation of gingival collagenase: A possible role for a mast cell factor. Proc Soc Exp Biol Med 145:42–47

    Google Scholar 

  49. Smith SS, Basu PK (1970) Mast cells in corneal immune reaction. Can J Ophthalmol 5:175–183

    Google Scholar 

  50. Soter NA, Austen KF (1976) The diversity of mast cell-derived mediators: Implication for acute, subacute and chronic cutaneous inflammatory disorders. J Invest Dermatol 67:313–319

    Google Scholar 

  51. Spence AM, Rubinstein LJ (1975) Cerebellar capillary hemangioblastoma: Its histogenesis studied by organ culture and electron microscopy. Cancer 35:326–341

    Google Scholar 

  52. Taylor AC (1971) Collagenolysis in culture tissue. II. Role of mast cells. J Dent Res 50:1301–1306

    Google Scholar 

  53. Thureson-Klein A, Stijarne L (1979) Ultrastructural features of mast cells in human omental veins. Blood Vessels 16:311–319

    Google Scholar 

  54. Trotter CM, Orr TS (1973) A fine structure study of some cellular components in allergic reactions: I. Degranulation of human mast cells in allergic asthma and perennial rhinitis. Clin Allergy 3:411–425

    Google Scholar 

  55. Uvnas G (1976) Chemistry and storage function of mast cell granules. J Invest Dermatol 71:76–80

    Google Scholar 

  56. Wassermann SI (1980) The lung mast cell: Its physiology and potential relevance to defense of the lung. Envionm Health Perspect 35:153–161

    Google Scholar 

  57. Weinstock A, Albright JT (1967) The fine structure of mast cells in normal human gingiva. J Ultrastruct Res 17:245–256

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Dept. of Pathology, Henry Ford Hospital, 2799 West Grand Blvd., 48202, Detroit, MI, USA

    K. L. Ho

Authors
  1. K. L. Ho
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Ho, K.L. Ultrastructure of cerebellar capillary hemangioblastoma. Acta Neuropathol 64, 308–318 (1984). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00690396

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00690396

Key words

Search

Navigation