Ultrastructural Studies of Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors.
10.3346/jkms.2004.19.2.234
- Author:
Sung Hye PARK
1
;
Min Kyung KIM
;
Hanseong KIM
;
Byung Joo SONG
;
Je G CHI
Author Information
1. Department of Pathology, Seoul National University, College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea. shparknp@plaza.snu.ac.kr
- Publication Type:Original Article ; Comparative Study ; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
- Keywords:
Gastrointestinal Neoplasms;
Stromal Tumors;
Autonomic Pathways;
Microscopy, Electron;
Immunohistochemistry;
Proto-Oncogene Protein c-Kit
- MeSH:
Adult;
Aged;
Autonomic Nervous System/*pathology/ultrastructure;
Comparative Study;
Cytoplasm/pathology/ultrastructure;
Female;
Gastrointestinal Neoplasms/*pathology/ultrastructure;
Human;
Immunohistochemistry;
Male;
Microscopy, Electron;
Middle Aged;
Peripheral Nervous System Neoplasms/*pathology/ultrastructure;
Stromal Cells/*pathology/ultrastructure;
Support, Non-U.S. Gov't;
Tumor Markers, Biological;
Vacuoles/pathology/ultrastructure
- From:Journal of Korean Medical Science
2004;19(2):234-244
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:English
-
Abstract:
Gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) are the most common mesenchymal tumors in the gastrointestinal tract (GIT). Although interstitial cells of Cajal has been suggested as origin of this tumor, the cytological and ultrastructural features of GISTs are heterogeneous and unclear. A total 10 cases of normal gastrointestinal tissue (control), 13 GISTs of the stomach (8), small intestine (3), mesocolon (1) and liver (1), and 2 gastrointestinal autonomic nervous tumor (GANT) of small intestine were ultrastructurally studied. Normal interstitial cells of Cajal (ICC) were abundantly present around the myenteric plexuses or individually scattered through the wall of GIT. ICC was characterized by slender cytoplasmic processes, well-developed endoplasmic reticulum (ER), mitochondria, Golgi apparatus, caveolae and intermediate filaments. The GISTs and GANTs had overlapping ultrastructures. The most common and important ultrastructural features of GISTs were rich villous cytoplasmic processes, dispersed intermediate filaments and abundant SER, and those of GANTs were neurosecretory granules and skenoid fibers. Compared with ICC, the GISTs and GANTs had remarkably reduced caveolae and gap junctions. Our study suggested that ultrastructural analysis gives much information to investigate lineage differentiation of neoplastic cells and make a differential diagnosis of these tumors from other mesenchymal tumors and between GISTs and GANTs.
