Multiple Endocrine Cell Types in Thyroid Medullary Carcinoma. Evidence for Calcitonin, Somatostatin, ACTH, 5HT and Small Granule Cells

Overview

Journal Virchows Arch A Pathol Anat Histol

Specialty Pathology

Date 1978 Feb 10

PMID 205037

Citations 14

Authors

C Capella

C Bordi

G Monga

R Buffa

P Fontana

S Bonfanti

G Bussolati

E Solcia

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

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.

Citing Articles

The Pathology of Medullary Carcinoma of the Thyroid: Review of the Literature and Personal Experience on 62 Cases.

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PMID: 12114676 DOI: 10.1007/BF02739911.

Dedifferentiation of neoplastic cells in medullary thyroid carcinoma: report of a case.

Osaka M, Soga J, Tamiya Y, Suzuki T Surg Today. 1999; 29(11):1189-94.

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Characterization of neurotensin production by a line of rat medullary thyroid carcinoma cells.

Zeytinoglu F, Gagel R, TASHJIAN Jr A, Hammer R, Leeman S Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1980; 77(6):3741-5.

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Electron microscopic demonstration of calcitonin in human medullary carcinoma of thyroid by the immuno gold staining method.

Dammrich J, Ormanns W, Schaffer R Histochemistry. 1984; 81(4):369-72.

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Production of gastrin releasing peptide by medullary carcinoma of the thyroid. An immunohistochemical study.

Kameya T, Bessho T, Tsumuraya M, Yamaguchi K, Abe K, Shimosato Y Virchows Arch A Pathol Anat Histopathol. 1983; 401(1):99-107.

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