Summary
Corded structures consisting of rows of viable tumour cells around a central blood vessel are present in a number of transplantable mouse tumours, including transplantable B16 melanomas.
These tumours were used to assess, by stereological means at the EM level, the range of differentiation of the melanoma cells, according to their position in relation to the central blood vessel. The mitotic index was also determined for perivascular and peripheral tumour cells separately.
Furthermore, the transition of peripherally located cells into necrotic tumour cells is described at the EM level. Results show an important increase in differentiation in peripheral tumour cells, whereas the mitotic index is highest in perivascular cells. Necrotic peripheral cells show features of apoptotic necrosis, together with necrosis of the ischaemic type. Results indicate that both proliferation and differentiation of melanoma cells are related to their position around a central blood vessel, and that peripheral necrosis is not exclusively due to lack of oxygen.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Cheng H, Leblond CP (1974) Origin, differentiation and renewal of the four main epithelial cell types in the mouse small intestine. Am J Anat 141:461–561
Ghadially FN (1980) Diagnostic electron microscopy of tumours, Butterworths, London
Hirst DG, Denekamp J (1979) Tumour cell proliferation in relation to the vasculature. Cell Tissue Kinet 12:31–42
Kerr JFR, Searle J (1972) A suggested explanation for the paradoxically slow growth rate of basal-cell carcinomas that contain numerous mitotic figures. J Pathol 107:41–44
Meyer M, Chroeder HE (1975) A quantitative electron microscopic analysis of the keratinizing epithelium of normal human hard palate. Cell Tissue Res 158:177–203
Searle J, Lawson A, Abbott PJ, Harmon B, Kerr JFR (1975) An electron microscope study of the mode of cell death induced by cancer chemotherapeutic agents in populations of proliferating normal and neoplastic cells. J Pathol 116:129–138
Tannock IF (1968) The relation between cell proliferation and the vascular system in a transplanted mouse mammary tumour. Br J Cancer 22:258–273
Weibel ER (1979) Stereological methods. Vol 1. Academic Press, London, New York
Weibel ER (1980) Stereological methods. Vol 2. Academic Press, London, New York
Wyllie AH, Kerr JFR, Currie AR (1980) Cell death: the significance of apoptosis. Int Rev Cytol 68:251–306
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
This work was supported by grant no. 3.0005.81 of the N.F.G.W.O.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Paulus, G., Hong, L.X., Atassi, G. et al. Degree of differentiation and blood vessel proximity in B16 melanoma. Virchows Archiv B Cell Pathol 39, 229–238 (1982). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02892850
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02892850