Weibel-Palade bodies in endothelial cells as a marker for angiogenesis in brain tumors.
A transmission electron microscope study was made of eight childhood brain tumors divided up into three zones, center, edge, infiltrating zone, and also of adjacent "normal-looking" brain. In seven of eight tumors, the numbers of Weibel-Palade bodies in endothelial cells were significantly increased in peripheral zones compared with central zones. A similar significant increase was observed after treatment of chick chorioallantoic membranes with tumor angiogenesis factor. It is suggested that large numbers of Weibel-Palade bodies may be a marker for proliferating endothelial cells in vivo.
D001254:Astrocytoma / Q000098:blood supply / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000098:blood supply / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D004727:Endothelium / Q000648:ultrastructure; D006801:Humans; D008527:Medulloblastoma / Q000098:blood supply / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D009389:Neovascularization, Pathologic; D009837:Oligodendroglioma / Q000098:blood supply / Q000648:ultrastructure*