Summary
Thyroid tissue of 300 routine autopsies was processed in a standardized manner. So-called solid cell nests (SCN) were found in 21 patients (7 %). These cases were investigated carefully by serial step sectioning. In order to explore the correlation of SCN to the C-cell system, the sections were stained by silver impregnation and the immunoperoxidase method. Morphometric analyses revealed a significant increase in the density of C cells in the proximity of the SCN. With progressive distance from the SCN, the C-cell density decreased and reached normal values. In 30 % of the cases argyrophilic and calcitonin-positive cells were found lying within the SCN. Occasionally, mixed follicles could be discerned: These were lined on the one side by a multilayered squamous epithelium, on the other side by normal monolayered cubic follicular epithelium, and contained a peculiar granular material. In one case, SCN were associated with intrathyroid portions of the parathyroids and adult adipose tissue, in a second case with adipose tissue only. Most probably SCN are vestiges of the ultimobranchial body and should be interpreted as such, despite the fact that other authors have expressed different views. The lack of disturbances in the calcium metabolism of the patients and the absence of medullary carcinoma in their family histories led us to interpret locally confined C-cell hyperplasia not as reactive nor premalignant, but rather as normal.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Bargmann, W.: Die Schilddrüse. In: Möllendorff, W. v., Handbuch der mikroskopischen Anatomie des Menschen, Bd. 6, Teil 2, pp. pp1-136. Berlin: Springer 1939a
Bargmann, W.: Die Epithelkörperchen. In: Möllendorff, W. v., Handbuch der mikroskopischen Anatomie des Menschen, Bd. 6, Teil 2, pp. 137-196. Berlin: Springer 1939b
Becker, K.L, Silva, O.L., Snider, H.R., Moore, C.F., Bivins, L.E.: Hypercalcitoninemia in normocalcemic bronchogenic cancer. Abstr. 57th Endocrine Society 287 (1975)
Calvert, R.: Structure of rat ultimobranchial bodies after birth. Anat. Rec. 181, 561–580 (1975)
Chan, A.S., Conen, P.E.: Ultrastructural observations on cytodifferentiation of parafollicular cells in the human fetal thyroid. Lab. Invest. 25, 249–259 (1971)
Christov, K., Bollmann, R., Thomas, C.: Ultimobranchial follicles and cysts in the rat thyroid during postnatal development. Beitr. Pathol. 149, 47–59 (1973)
Coombes, R.C., Hillyard, C., Greenberg, P.B., MacIntyre, J.: Plasma-immunoreactive calcitonin in patients with non-thyroid tumours. Lancet 1974 I, 1080–1083
Douarin, N. le, Le Lièvre, Chr.: Démonstration de l'origine neurale des cellules à calcitonine du corps ultimobranchial chez l'embryon de poulet. C. R. Acad. Sci (Paris) 270, 2857–2860 (1970)
Dube, V.E., Joyce, G.T.: Extreme squamous metaplasia in Hashimoto's thyreoditis. Cancer 27, 435–437 (1971)
Dyke, J.H. van: Behaviour of ultimobranchial tissue in the postnatal thyroid gland: epithelial cysts, their relation to thyroid parenchyma and to “new growths” in the thyroid gland of young sheep. Am. J. Anat. 76, 201–252 (1945)
Dyke, J.H. van: Experimental thyroid metaplasia in the rat. Arch. Path. 59, 73–81 (1955)
Ebner, V.v.: Von der Schilddrüse. In: Köllikers Handbuch der Gewebelehre, 6. Aufl., Bd.3, pp. 316–325. Leipzig: Wilhelm Engelmann 1902
Erdheim: I. Ueber Schilddrüsenaplasie. II. Geschwülste des Ductus thyreoglossus. III. Ueber einige menschliche Kiemenderivate. Beitr. path. Anat. 35, 366–433 (1904)
Fernandez-Pasqual, J.S.: A new method for easy demonstration of argyrophil cells. Stain Technol. 51, 231–235 (1976)
Fukunaga, F.H., Lockett, L.J.: Thyroid carcinoma in the Japanese in Hawaii. Arch. Path. 92, 6–13 (1971)
Getzowa, S.: Ueber die Glandula parathyreoidea, intrathyreoidale Zellhaufen derselben und Reste des postbranchialen Körpers. Virchows Arch. [Pathol. Anat.] 188, 181–234 (1907)
Getzowa, S.: Zur Kenntnis des postbranchialen Körpers und der branchialen Kanälchen des Menschen. Virchows Arch. [Pathol. Anat.] 205, 208–263 (1911)
Goldberg, H.M., Harvey, R.: Squamous-cell cysts of the thyroid with special reference to the aetiology of squamous epithelium in the human thyroid. Br. J. Surg. 43, 565–569 (1955)
Grandi, P. de: The routine demonstration of C-cells in human and animal thyroid glands. Virchows Archiv [Cell Pathol.] 6, 137–150 (1970)
Heath, H., Sizemore, G.W.: Plasma calcitonin in normal man, differences between man and women. J. Clin. Invest. 60, 1135–1140 (1977)
Hermann, G., Verdun, P.: Persistance des corps postbranchiaux chez l'homme. C. R. Soc. Biol. (1899). (Cf. Getzowa 1911)
Jaffe, R.H.: Epithelial metaplasia of the thyroid gland with special reference to histogenesis of squamous cell carcinoma of thyroid gland. Arch. Path. 23, 821–830 (1937)
Jordan, R.K., McFarlane, B., Scothorne, R.J.: An electron microscopic study of the histogenesis of the ultimobranchial bodies and of the C-cell system in the sheep. J. Anat. 114, 115–136 (1973)
Kirkeby, S.: Carboxylic esterhydrolases in the thyroid gland of the guinea pig. A light microscopic study. Histochem. J. 8, 25–34 (1976)
Kirkeby, S.: Esterase activity in the guinea pig thyroid under normal and pathological conditions (Vitamin A deficiency) with special regard to cyst-like structures. Virchows Archiv [Cell Pathol.] 23, 129–136 (1977)
Klinck, G.H., Menk, K.F.: Squamous cells in the human thyroid. Milit. Surg. 109, 406–414 (1951)
Kloeppel, F.C.: Vergleichende Untersuchungen über Gebirgsland- und Tieflandschilddrüsen. Beitr. path. Anat. 49, 579–594 (1910)
Kracht, J.: C-cells and C-cell tumours. Verh. dtsch. Ges. Path. 61. Tg., pp. 235–264. Stuttgart: Gustav Fischer 1977
Krupp, P.: Effects of Vitamin A deficiency on ultimobranchial tissue in the rat thyroid. Anat. Rec. 174, 381–388 (1972)
Lellis, R.A. de, Nunnemacher, G., Wolfe, H.J.: C-cell hyperplasia. An ultrastructural analysis. Lab. Invest. 36, 237–248 (1977)
Lietz, H.: C-cell, source of calcitonin. A morphological review. Curr. Top. Pathol. 55, 109–147 (1971)
Lindsay, S., Nichols, C.W., Jr., Chaikoff, J.L.: Naturally occurring thyroid carcinoma in the rat: similarities to human medullary carcinoma. Arch. Path. 86, 353–364 (1968)
Lobenhoffer: Beiträge zur Lehre der Sekretion in der Struma. Mitt. Grenzgeb. Med. Chir. 20, 650–662 (1909)
Ludwig, K.S.: Beiträge zur Schilddrüsenstruktur: II. Gibt es inter- oder parafollikuläres Epithel in der Schilddrüse? Acta Anat. (Basel) 19, 28–50 (1953)
Marine, D.: The thyroid, parathyroid and thymus. In: E.V. Cowdry's special cytology, Vol. 1. New York: P. Hoeber 1928
Meeker, L.H.: Riedel's struma associated with remnants of the post-branchial body. Am. J. Path. 1, 57–68 (1925)
Müller, L.R.: Beiträge zur Histologie der normalen und der erkrankten Schilddrüse. Zieglers Beitr. Path. Anat. 19, 127–180 (1896)
Nadig, J., Weber, E., Hedinger, Chr.: C-cells in vestiges of the ultimobranchial body in human thyroid glands. Virchows Archiv [Cell Pathol.] 27, 189–191 (1978)
Nève, P., Wollman, S.H.: Fine structure of ultimobranchial body follicles in the thyroid gland of the rat. Anat. Rec. 171, 259–272 (1971)
Okamoto, E., Hedinger, Chr.: Distribution of C cells in the normal and micronodular human thyroid gland. (In press).
Pearse, A.G.E.: The cytochemistry of the thyroid C cells and their relationship to calcitonin. Proc. R. Soc. Lond. [Biol.] 164, 478–487 (1966)
Pearse, A.G.E., Carvalheira, A.F.: Cytochemical evidence for an ultimobranchial body origin of rodent thyroid C cells. Nature 214, 929–930 (1967)
Petko, M.: Morphological and histochemical changes of ultimobranchial follicles of the rat thyroid in the course of postnatal life. Acta Morphol. Acad. Sci. Hung. 23, 123–131 (1975)
Prenant, A.: Sur le développement des glandes accessoires de la glande thyroïde et celui de la glande carotidienne. Anat. Anz. 12, 242 (1894)
Roediger, W.E.W.: A comparative study of the normal human neonatal and the canine thyroid C cell. J. Anat. 115, 255–276 (1973a)
Roediger, W.E.W.: Congenital cyst of the thyroid. S. Afr. Med. J. 47, 1120–1122 (1973b)
Sato, T., Jschikawa, K., Aoi, T., Kitoh, J., Sugiyama, S.: Electron microscopic observations on the development of the parafollicular cells from the ultimobranchial cyst in the thyroid gland of the mouse. Folia anat. jap. 42, 91–105 (1966)
Schürch, W., Babai, F., Boivin, Y., Verdy, M.: Light-electron microscopic and cytochemical studies on the morphogenesis of familial medullary thyroid carcinoma. Virchows Arch. [Pathol. Anat.] 376, 29–46 (1977)
Staudacher-Dalle Aste, E.V.: Studio sugli ammassi cellulari interfollicolari nella tiroidea della cavia. Z. Zellforsch. 31, 513–525 (1941a)
Staudacher-Dalle Aste, E.V.: Sulle cosidette “cellule parafollicolari” nella tiroidea della cavia. Z. Zellforsch. 31, 526–536 (1941b)
Sternberger, L.A., Hardy, P.H., Jr., Cuculis, J.J., Meyer, H.G.: The unlabeled antibody enzyme method of immunohistochemistry: preparation and properties of soluble antigen-antibody complex (horseradish peroxidase — antihorseradish peroxidase) and its use in identification of spirochetes. J. Histochem. Cytochem. 18, 315–333 (1970)
Sugiyama, S.: Histological studies of the human thyroid gland observed from the viewpoint of its postnatal development. Ergebn. Anat. Entwickl.-Gesch. 39, 3–70 (1967)
Sugiyama, S.: The embryology of the human thyroid gland including ultimobranchial body and others related. Ergebn. Anat. Entwickl.-Gesch. 44, 3–111 (1971).
Wegelin, C.: Schilddrüse. In: Henke, F., Lubarsch, O., Handbuch der speziellen pathologischen Anatomie und Histologie, Bd. 8, S. 1-547. Berlin: Springer 1926
Welsch, U.: Die Entwicklung der C-Zellen und des Follikelepithels der Säugerschilddrüse. Ergebn. Anat. Entwickl.-Gesch. 46, 7–52 (1972)
Wölfler: Ueber die Entwicklung und den Bau der Schilddrüse mit Rücksicht auf die Entwicklung der Kröpfe. Berlin 1880. (Cf. Wegelin 1926)
Wolfe, H.J., Melvin, K.E.W., Cervi-Skinner, S.J., Al Saadi, A., Juliar, J.F., Jackson, C.E., Tashjian, A.H.: C-cell hyperplasia predicting medullary thyroid carcinoma. New Engl. J. Med. 289, 437–441 (1973)
Wolfe, H.J., Voelkel, E.F., Tashjian, A.H.: Distribution of CT-containing cells in the normal adult human thyroid gland: a correlation of morphology with peptide content. J. Clin. Endocr. 38, 688–694 (1974)
Wolfe, H.J., De Lellis, R.A., Voelkel, E.F., Tashjian, A.H.: Distribution of calcitonin-containingcells in the normal neonatal human thyroid gland: a correlation of morphology with peptide content. J. Clin. Endocr. 41, 1076–1081 (1975)
Wollman, S.H., Nève, P.: Postnatal development and properties of ultimobranchial follicles in the rat thyroid. Anat. Rec. 171, 247–258 (1971)
Yamaoka, Y.: Solid cell nests (SCN) in the human thyroid gland. Acta Pathol. Jpn. 23, 493–506 (1973)
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Janzer, R.C., Weber, E. & Hedinger, C. The relation between solid cell nests and C cells of the thyroid gland. Cell Tissue Res. 197, 295–312 (1979). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00233921
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00233921