Summary
Proliferation of the vascular endothelium occurring in brain tumours is accompanied by a proliferation of histiocytes in the peripheral part of the vessel wall. These histiocytes infiltrate the tumour tissue in a very regular pattern. Enzyme-histochemically, there are marked differences between the activities of alkaline phosphatase, 5-nucleotidase, and ATPase in the normal and proliferating blood vessels. The whole process encompasses reactive changes evoked by the destroyed perivascular sheath of astroglial foot processes and the subsequent oedema in the tumour and the surrounding parenchyma. There are often tumour areas where diminished vascular permeability is established by proliferation of perivascular connective tissue. Here the oedema has completely disappeared. A clearcut influx of monocytes from the blood into the vessel wall is seen only in the vicinity of necrotic foci; the number of histiocytes is increased and their turnover is observed in swollen macrophages. In the rest of the tumour influx of monocytes and activity of macrophages are inconspicious.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Barka, T., Anderson, P.J.: Histochemistry. New York: Harper and Row 1963
Bots, G.Th.A.M.: Enzymhistopathology of primary tumours of the human nervous system in relation to the accompanying tissue reaction. Proceedings of the VIIth International Congress of Neuropathology, pp. 497–511. Paris: Masson et Cie 1970
Burstone, M.S.: Enzyme histochemistry. New York: Acad. Press 1962
Calvo, W.M.: Growth patterns of intracranial neoplasm. In: Pathology of the nervous system. Vol. 2 edit. by J. Minckler. New York: McGraw-Hill 1971
Danielli, J.F.: The enzymes in woundhealing. Brit. J. exper. Path. 26, 367–376 (1945)
Gomori, G.: Microscopic histochemistry; principles and practice. Chicago: University of Chicago Press 1952
Henschen, F.: Tumoren des Zentralnervensystems und seiner Hüllen. In: Handbuch der speziellen pathologischen Anatomie und Histologie. XIII-3. Berlin-Göttingen-Heidelberg: Springer 1955
Karnovsky, M.J.: The ultrastructural basis of capillary permeability studied with peroxidase as a tracer. J. Cell Biol. 35, 213–236 (1967)
Kitamura, T., Hattori, H., Fujita, S.: Autoradiographic studies on histogenesis of brain macrophages in the mouse. J. Neuropath. exp. Neurol. 31, 502–518 (1972)
Long, D.M.: Capillary ultrastructure and the blood-brain barrier in human malignant brain tumours. J. Neurosurg. 32, 420–427 (1973)
Oehmichen, M., Grüninger, H., Saebisch, R., Narita, Y.: Mikroglia und Pericyten als Transformationsformen der Blutmonocyten mit erhaltener Proliferationsfähigkeit. Acta neuropath. (Berl.) 23, 200–218 (1972)
Reese, T.S., Karnovsky, M.J.: Fine structural localization of a blood-brain barrier to exogenous peroxidase. J. Cell Biol. 34, 207–217 (1967)
Rubinstein, L.J.: Tumours of the central nervous system. Washington D.C.: Armed Forces Institute of Pathology 1972
Russell, D.S., Rubinstein, L.J.: Pathology of tumours of the nervous system. London: Arnold 1971
Spector, W.G., Lykke, A.W.J., Willoughby, D.A.: A quantitative study of leucocyte emigration in chronic inflammatory granulomata. J. Path. Bact. 93 (1), 101–107 (1967)
Torack, R.M., Barnett, R.J.: The fine structural localization of nucleoside phosphatase activity in the blood-brain barrier. J. Neurpath. exp. Neurol. 23, 45–59 (1964)
Varkonyi, T., Jóo, F.: The effect of nickel chloride on the permeability of the blood-brain barrier. Experientia (Basel) 24, 452–453 (1968)
Wachstein, M., Meisel, E.: Histochemistry of hepatic phosphatases at a physiologic pH. Amer. J. clin. Path. 27, 13–23 (1957)
Willighagen, R.G.J.: Histochemisch onderzoek van de activiteit van alkalische en zure fosfatase in normaal en in pathologisch veranderd menselijk weefsel. Leiden: Thesis 1960
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
This study was supported by the Koningin Wilhelmina Fonds under grant N 75.30
The author wishes to thank Miss N.J. Dijkshoorn, Miss M.J.M. Louwe, and Mrs. B. Ras-Muller for their valuable technical assistance.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Bots, G.T.A.M. Proliferation of blood vessels and stroma in brain tumours. Virchows Arch. A Path. Anat. and Histol. 372, 175–182 (1976). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00433277
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00433277