title: The fibromatoses. An ultrastructural study of 31 cases.
abstract: During a five year period, thirty one cases of fibromatoses were studied with electron microscopy. A special survey was performed in relation with the proliferating cell, the extracellular space and the morphologic features of some peculiar entities as: juvenile aponeurotic fibroma, nasopharyngeal angiofibroma, recurring digital fibroma of infancy and the group of proliferative fasciitis-myositis. The main conclusions drawn of this study are: the myofibroblast is the proliferating cell of these lesions; those cells are actively synthesizing native and fibrous long spacing collagen; there are frequent intracytoplasmic inclusions of fibrous long spacing collagen; the cytoplasmic inclusions of recurring digital fibroma of infancy correspond to modifications of the cytoskeleton; and, the ganglion-like cells of proliferative fasciitis-myositis are modified myofibroblasts.
mesh_terms: D003094:Collagen / Q000032:analysis; D005110:Extracellular Space / Q000032:analysis; D005350:Fibroma / Q000145:classification / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D006801:Humans; D002479:Inclusion Bodies / Q000648:ultrastructure; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D009940:Organoids / Q000648:ultrastructure
chemical_list: D003094:Collagen