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Structure of a hepatoblastoma of pure epithelial type
Author(s) -
GonzalezCrussi Frank,
Manz Herbert J.
Publication year - 1972
Publication title -
cancer
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.052
H-Index - 304
eISSN - 1097-0142
pISSN - 0008-543X
DOI - 10.1002/1097-0142(197205)29:5<1272::aid-cncr2820290522>3.0.co;2-1
Subject(s) - hepatoblastoma , organelle , ultrastructure , pathology , tumor cells , biology , microbiology and biotechnology , medicine , cancer research
The epithelial cells of a hepatoblastoma of a 21‐month‐old child were studied by light and electron microscopy. This tumor was associated with the presence of α 1 ‐fetoprotein in the serum. Despite their presumed immaturity, the tumor cells were shown to possess an organelle complement compatible with a wide range of synthetic capacities. The arrangement of subcellular structures suggested that synthetic metabolic processes are particularly active in hepatoblastoma cells. It is speculated that metabolic products of such cells, of which α 1 ‐fetoprotein is the currently prominent example, might become of greater diagnostic value than in hepatocarcinoma of older age groups. Well‐differentiated cells are structurally closer to morphologically altered hepatocytes than to tumor cells. More primitive cells have a simpler structure, but increasing complexity of ultrastructural organization suggests that transitional forms exist between the main cellular types. Greater uniformity of nomenclature is desirable concerning epithelial cells of hepatoblastoma.