Mammosomatotroph cell adenoma of the human pituitary: a morphologic entity.
Nine cases of a hitherto undescribed morphologic entity, termed mammosomatotroph cell adenoma of the human pituitary, are reported. These tumors, occurring mostly in men, are invariably associated with acromegaly (or gigantism) and high-normal or slightly elevated blood prolactin levels, and it cannot be distinguished clinically from well-differentiated growth hormone cell or mixed growth hormone cell-prolactin cell adenomas. They show a slow growth rate and usually exhibit a diffuse pattern and intense cytoplasmic acidophilia by histology. The immunoperoxidase technique detects both growth hormone and prolactin within the same cells. Electron microscopy reveals monomorphous tumors with a fine structure markedly similar to that of well-differentiated, densely granulated growth hormone cell adenomas. An added feature and diagnostic marker of mammosomatotroph cell adenoma is the presence of extracellular deposits of secretory material. One tumor shows a marked abnormality of hormone packaging and storage, resulting in the cytoplasmic accumulation of pleomorphic bodies containing semicrystalline secretory material.
D000172:Acromegaly / Q000209:etiology; D000236:Adenoma / Q000150:complications / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D013006:Growth Hormone / Q000378:metabolism*; D006651:Histocytochemistry; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D008297:Male; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D008875:Middle Aged; D009384:Paraneoplastic Endocrine Syndromes / Q000473:pathology*; D010911:Pituitary Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D011388:Prolactin / Q000378:metabolism
D011388:Prolactin; D013006:Growth Hormone