Summary
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.
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Supported in part by grant N. 75.00630.04 from the Italian National Research Council (C.N.R.). P.F. is a fellow of the Fondazione Anna Villa Rusconi, Varese
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Capella, C., Bordi, C., Monga, G. et al. Multiple endocrine cell types in thyroid medullary carcinoma. Virchows Arch. A Path. Anat. and Histol. 377, 111–128 (1978). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00427000
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00427000