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PMID: 205037 Published · ppublish English Journal Article

Multiple endocrine cell types in thyroid medullary carcinoma. Evidence for calcitonin, somatostatin, ACTH, 5HT and small granule cells.

Virchows Archiv. A, Pathological anatomy and histology ·Vol. 377 ·No. 2 ·1978-02-10 ·Pages 111-28

Capella C, Bordi C, Monga G, Buffa R, Fontana P, Bonfanti S, Bussolati G, Solcia E

Abstract

10 cases of thyroid medullary carcinoma (TMC) have been studied ultrastructurally and histochemically. Well differentiated calcitonin-producing C cells were present in all tumours, being prevalent in 9 cases. 5-Hydroxytryptamine (5HT) storing cells were found in two cases, somatostatin immunoreactive cells in at least 5 cases and ACTH-immunoreactive cells in 4 cases. Ultrastructurally, at least 3 types of apparently non-C cells were observed. Type 1 cells with large, poorly osmiophilic granules resembling those of gastroenteropancreatic D cells, were present in 6 cases; they appeared to correlate well with somatostatin immunoreactive cells. Type 2 cells with large osmiophilic granules were found in 5 cases; they resembled ACTH-MSH cells of the human pituitary and may correspond to the ACTH-immunoreactive cells of light microscopy. Type 3 cells with small granules and an unknown function were found in 6 cases, always in scarce number. It is concluded that TMC, although mainly made up of C cells, usually contains large proportions of other endocrine cell types.

MeSH Terms
Adrenocorticotropic Hormone/analysis Adult Calcitonin/analysis Carcinoma/analysis,pathology,ultrastructure Child Female Humans Male Middle Aged Serotonin/analysis Somatostatin/analysis Thyroid Neoplasms/analysis,pathology,ultrastructure
Chemicals
Serotonin Somatostatin Adrenocorticotropic Hormone Calcitonin
Authors & Affiliations
8 authors, click to expand affiliations / ORCID
Capella C
Bordi C
Monga G
Buffa R
Fontana P
Bonfanti S
Bussolati G
Solcia E
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Article Info
Journal
Virchows Archiv. A, Pathological anatomy and histology
Abbr.
Virchows Arch A Pathol Anat Histol
ISSN
0340-1227
DOI
10.1007/BF00427000
Published
1978-02-10
Pages
111-28
Language
English
Region
Germany
NLM ID
7505137
Subset
IM
External Links
PubMed source DOI: 10.1007/BF00427000
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