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The ultrastructure of oligodendrogliomas

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Summary

Seven Oligodendrogliomas (2 with uniform cell type, 4 with cellular or tissue variability, and 1 with glioblastomatous changes) were examined ultrastructurally. The tumor cells were of two principal types with morphologic transitions between the two main types. The two principal cell types were identified as type 1 (undifferentiated) and type 2 (differentiated) on the basis of the number of anaplastic cells in an individual tumor and on the observations of Mori and Leblond (21) on non-neoplastic oligodendrocytes. Most of the tumor cells in all tumors exhibited similar histologic and ultrastructural characteristics including their arrangement and their tendency to form cytoplasmic processes which sometimes formed short stacks. These features were also recognizable in the glioblastomatous example and confirmed the presence of an oligodendroglial component.

In addition to these characteristics, an increase in size and number of mitochondria, abundant intracytoplasmic structures, microtubules were regularly present in virtually all tumor cells. Cells rich in cytoplasmic filaments were present. These were identified as reactive astrocytes or as oligodendroglial tumor cells.

Thus neither cytoplasmic filaments nor microtubules appear to be specific morphological markers for oligodendroglia or astrocytes; only the predominance of one of these structures permits cytogenetic identifications.

The cytologic characteristics are not specific morphologic markers; however, recognition of their presence provides important diagnostic information.

Zusammenfassung

7 Oligodendrogliome, davon 2 mit uniformem Zell-Typ, 4 mit Zell- oder Gewebs-Unregelmäßigkeit, 1 mit glioblastomatösen Veränderungen wurden elektronenmikroskopisch untersucht. Die Tumorzellen zeigten 2 Haupttypen mit morphologischen Übergängen zwischen beiden auf. Die Hauptformen wurden als Typ 1 (undifferenziert) und 2 (differenziert) definiert, gestützt auf die Anzahl anaplastischer Zellen im jeweiligen Tumor und auf die Beobachtung nicht-neoplastischer Oligodendrocyten nach Mori and Leblond (21).

Die meisten Tumorzellen aller Fälle wiesen ähnliche licht- und elektronenmikroskopische Charakteristika auf, einschließlich der Zell-Anordnung und ihrer Tendenz, zytoplasmatische Fortätze zu bilden.

Diese Befunde waren auch in den glioblastomähnlichen Tumoren zu erkennen und bestätigen damit deren Oligodendrogliom-Komponente.

Außerdem fand man regelmäßig in allen Tumoren eine Zunahme der Größe und Zahl der Mitochondrien, reichlich intrazytoplasmatische Strukturen und Mikrotubuli.

Auch Zellen mit zytoplasmatischen Filamenten waren vorhanden, die als reaktive Astrocyten oder als oligodendrogliale Tumorzellen angesehen wurden.

Daher scheinen weder zytoplasmatische Filamente noch Mikrotubuli ein spezifisches morphologisches Kriterium für Oligodendroglia oder Astrocyten zu sein. Das Überwiegen einer dieser beiden Strukturen erlaubt jedoch eine zytogenetische Zuordnung.

Die zytologischen Charakteristika sind zwar keine spezifischen morphologischen Kriterien; die Feststellung ihrer Anwesenheit gibt jedoch wichtige diagnostische Informationen.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institut für Neuropathologie, Universitätsklinikum Steglitz, Berlin, Germany

    J. Cervós-Navarro, R. Ferszt & M. Brackertz

  2. Institut für Neuropathologie, Universitätsklinikum Steglitz der FU Berlin, D-1000, Berlin 45, Germany

    J. Cervós-Navarro

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  1. J. Cervós-Navarro
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  2. R. Ferszt
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  3. M. Brackertz
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Dedicated to Prof. Dr. Dr. h. c. K. J. Zülch on occasion of his 70th birthday.

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Cervós-Navarro, J., Ferszt, R. & Brackertz, M. The ultrastructure of oligodendrogliomas. Neurosurg. Rev. 4, 17–31 (1981). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01787229

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