Summary
In this study, light microscopic and ultrastructural morphometric features of oncocytomas and null cell adenomas were compared and the morphometric data were correlated with in vitro endocrine activity. All tumours were unassociated with clinical or biochemical evidence of hormone excess and were diagnosed as oncocytomas or null cell adenomas, using histology, immunohistochemistry and electron microscopy. In oncocytomas, when compared with null cell adenomas, light microscopic morphometry revealed that total cell areas were significantly larger and nuclear cytoplasmic ratios were smaller due to an increase in cytoplasmic areas. Ultrastructural morphometry disclosed an abundance of mitochondria in oncocytomas. Absolute volumes of cytoplasmic organelles per cell were not reduced in oncocytomas compared with those of null cell adenomas. These results indicate that accumulating mitochondria do not replace other cytoplasmic organelles, and furthermore that the functional potential of oncocytomas is not lost. In vitro study demonstrated the production of pituitary hormones, primarily gonadotropins in oncocytomas and null cell adenomas. It can be concluded that oncocytomas, which represent the final stage of oncocytic transformation, have a close relationship with null cell adenomas based on morphometric comparison as well as in vitro studies.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Asa SL, Gerrie BM, Singer W, Horvath E, Kovacs K, Smyth HS (1986) Gonadotropin secretion in vitro by human pituitary null cell adenomas and oncocytomas. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 62:1011–1019
Balogh K Jr, Roth SI (1965) Histochemical and electron microscopic studies of eosinophilic granular cells (oncocytes) in tumors of the parotid gland. Lab Invest 14:310–320
Bauserman SC, Hardman JM, Schochet SS Jr, Earle KM (1978) Pituitary oncocytomas. Indispensable role of electron microscopy in its identification. Arch Pathol Lab Med 102:456–459
Bedetti CD (1985) Immunocytochemical demonstration of cytochrome C oxidase with an immunoperoxidase method. J Histochem Cytochem 33:446–452
Black PM, Hsu DW, Klibanski A, Kliman B, Jameson L, Ridgway EC, Whyte TH, Zervas NT (1987) Hormone production in clinically nonfunctioning pituitary adenomas, J Neurosurg 66:244–250
Cieciura L, Nilsson BO, Pietrzkowska K, Wandachowicz I (1986) Morphometry of mitochondrial changes in mouse trophoblast cells at early implantation. J Submicrosc Cytol 18:133–136
Diehl S, Weber T, Hamester V, Saeger W, Lüdecke DK (1987) Morphometry of oncocytic pituitary adenomas and correlation with clinical data and immunocytochemistry. Acta Endocrinol 114:76–77
Elias H, Hyde DM (1980) An elementary introduction to stereology (quantitative microscopy). Am J Anat 159:411–446
Gjerris A, Lindholm J, Riishede J (1978) Pituitary oncocytic tumor with Cushing's disease. Cancer 42:1818–1822
Goebel HH, Schulz F, Rama B (1980) Ultrastructurally abnormal mitochondria in the pituitary oncocytoma. Acta Neurochir 51:195–201
Hamperl H (1931) Onkocyten und Geschwülste der Speicheldrüsen. Virchows Arch [A] 282:724–736
Jaffé RH (1932) Adenolymphoma of parotid gland. Am J Cancer 16:1415–1423
Jalalah S, Horvath E, Kovacs K (1985) Electron dense mitochondrial inclusions in a pituitary oncocytoma. J Submicrosc Cytol 17:667–671
Jameson JL, Lindell CM, Habener JF, Ridgway EC (1986) Expression of chorionic gonadotropinβ-subunit like messenger ribonucleic acid in an alpha-subunit secreting pituitary adenoma. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 62:1271–1278
Kalyanaraman UP, Halmi NS, Elwood PW (1980) Prolactin-secreting pituitary oncocytoma with galactorrhea-amenorrhea syndrome. Cancer 46:1584–1589
Klibanski A (1987) Nonsecreting pituitary tumors. Clin Endocrinol Metab 16:793–804
Kovacs K, Horvath E (1973) Pituitary “chromophobe” adenoma composed of oncocytes. Arch Pathol 95:235–239
Kovacs K, Horvath E, Bilbao JM (1974) Oncocytes in the anterior lobe of the human pituitary gland. A light and electron microscopic study. Acta Neuropathol 27:43–53
Kovacs K, Horvath E, Ryan N, Ezrin C (1980) Null cell adenoma of the human pituitary. Virchows Arch [A] 387:165–174
Kovacs K, Horvath E (1986) Tumors of the pituitary. In: Atlas of tumor pathology. Fascicle XXI, 2nd series. Armed Forces Inst. of Pathology, Washington, DC, pp 179–191
Kovacs K, Horvath E (1987) Pathology of pituitary tumors. Clin Endocrinol Metab 16:529–551
Landolt AM, Oswald UW (1973) Histology and ultrastructure of an oncocytic adenoma of the human pituitary. Cancer 31:1099–1105
Landolt AM, Rothenbühler V, Kistler GS (1978) Morphology of the chromophobe adenoma. In: Fahlbusch R, von Werder K (eds) Treatment of pituitary adenomas. 1st Eur. Workshop Rottach-Egern. Thieme, Stuttgart, pp 154–171
Lipson LG, Beitins IZ, Kornblith PD, McArthur JW, Friesen HG, Kliman B, Kjellberg RN (1978) Tissue culture studies on human pituitary tumors: radioimmunoassayable anterior pituitary hormones in the culture medium. Acta Endocrinol 88:239–249
Martinez AJ (1986) The pathology of nonfunctional pituitary adenomas. Semin Diagnos Pathol 3:83–94
Mashiter K, Adams E, Van Noorden S (1981) Secretion of LH, FSH and PRL shown by cell culture and immunocytochemistry of human functionless pituitary adenomas. Clin Endocrinol 15:103–112
Roy S (1978) Ultrastructure of oncocytic adenoma of the human pituitary gland. Acta Neuropathol 41:169–171
Saeger W (1975) Vergleichende licht- und elektronenmikroskopische Untersuchungen an oncocytären Hypophysenadenomen. Virchows Arch [A] 369:29–44
Saeger W (1984) Pathology of the pituitary gland. In: Management of pituitary disease. Belchetz PE (ed) Chapman and Hall, London, pp 253–289
Scheithauer BW (1984) Surgical pathology of the pituitary. The adenomas, part II. Pathol Ann 19:269–329
Smith HE, Page E (1976) Morphometry of rat heart mitochondrial subcompartments and membrane: application to myocardial cell atrophy after hypophysectomy. J Ultrast Res 55:31–41
Surmont DWA, Winslow CLJ, Loizou M, White MC, Adams EF, Mashiter K (1983) Gonadotrophin and alpha subunit secretion by human ‘functionless’ pituitary adenomas in cell culture: long term effects of luteinizing hormone releasing hormone and thyrotrophin releasing hormone. Clin Endocrinol 19:325–336
Tandler B, Hutter RVP, Erlandson RA (1970) Ultrastructure of oncocytoma of the parotid gland. Lab Invest 23:567–580
Tremblay G (1969) The oncocytes. In: Bajusz E, Jasmin G (eds) Methods and achievements in experimental pathology, Vol. 4. Karger, Basel-New York, pp 121–140
Weber T, Saeger W, Lüdecke DK (1987) Light microscopical morphometry, immunocytochemistry, and clinical correlations of pituitary adenomas at various stages of oncocytic transformation. Acta Endocrinol 116:489–496
Weibel ER, Kistler GS, Scherle WF (1966) Practical stereological methods for morphometric cytology. J Cell Biol 30:23–38
Weibel ER (1969) Stereologic principles for morphometry in electron microscopic cytology. Int Rev Cytol 26:235–302
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Yamada, S., Asa, S.L. & Kovacs, K. Oncocytomas and null cell adenomas of the human pituitary: Morphometric and in vitro functional comparison. Vichows Archiv A Pathol Anat 413, 333–339 (1988). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00783026
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00783026