title: Immunohistochemical study of calcitonin gene-related peptide in human medullary carcinoma and C cell hyperplasia.
abstract: The distribution of calcitonin and calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) has been studied by immunohistochemistry in normal, hyperplastic and neoplastic C cells. Fewer normal C cells contained immunoreactive CGRP than calcitonin, though both peptides can be co-expressed by a single cell. In the hyperplastic C cells that accompany familial medullary carcinoma immunohistochemistry was strongly and diffusely positive for both CGRP and calcitonin. In contrast, in medullary carcinoma, whether sporadic or familial, little CGRP was identified; often only a few strongly positive cells were found in a negative background, while immunoreactive calcitonin was commonly present in large amounts. The findings suggest that CGRP immunohistochemistry may be of value in identifying hyperplastic C cells, and that CGRP levels should be studied in medullary carcinoma families.
mesh_terms: D002116:Calcitonin / Q000032:analysis; D015740:Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D006965:Hyperplasia / Q000378:metabolism; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D009479:Neuropeptides / Q000032:analysis*; D013961:Thyroid Gland / Q000032:analysis* / Q000473:pathology; D013964:Thyroid Neoplasms / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D009479:Neuropeptides; D002116:Calcitonin; D015740:Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide