title: The histiocytic nature of dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans. Tissue culture and electron microscopic study.
abstract: Specimens from four cases of dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans when explanted in vitro exhibited a typical ameboid outgrowth, confirming the histiocytic nature of these tumors. The cultures displayed the same evolution from macrophages to fibroblast-like cells observed previously in cultures of other types of histiocytomas. Electron microscopic study of the cultures confirmed the light microscopic findings and suggested that the fibroblast-like cells were histiocytes with some secondarily acquired fibroblastic features. The possibility that neoplastic histiocytes may transform into true fibroblasts was deemed unlikely, but could not be excluded.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002471:Cell Transformation, Neoplastic; D046508:Culture Techniques; D005260:Female; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000473:pathology; D005354:Fibrosarcoma / Q000473:pathology*; D006644:Histiocytes / Q000473:pathology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D008875:Middle Aged; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*