Histogenesis, cytodifferentiation, and its subcellular steroidogenic sites in the virilizing ovarian Leydig cell tumor: light microscopic dry-mounting radioautography for [3H]cholesterol and electron microscopic cytochemistry for 3 beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase activity.
A case of a virilizing ovarian Leydig cell tumor in a 38-year-old woman with a marked elevated plasma testosterone level was investigated using light microscopic dry-mounting radioautography and electron microscopic cytochemistry. Following a total abdominal hysterectomy and bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy, the plasma testosterone level decreased abruptly. Light microscopic dry-mounting radioautography for [3H]cholesterol showed silver grains localized mainly over the cytoplasm of the neoplastic Leydig cells which were of three different cell types: fibroblast-like cells, Leydig cells (steroid-secreting cells), and transitional cells (partially or incompletely differentiated Leydig cells). Reaction products for 3 beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase activity were localized on the tubular or lamellar cristae and inner membranes of the mitochondria, and on the membranes of smooth endoplasmic reticulum in the transitional cell as well as in the Leydig cell. From these observations, it is suggested that the Leydig cell tumor is derived from the fibroblast-like cell and from the transitional cell, morphologically falling between the fibroblast-like cell and the Leydig cell, has fine structural evidence of steroidogenic activity, and has an ability to secrete testosterone.
D015096:3-Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenases / Q000378:metabolism*; D000328:Adult; D001345:Autoradiography; D002471:Cell Transformation, Neoplastic / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D006651:Histocytochemistry; D006801:Humans; D007984:Leydig Cell Tumor / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D013739:Testosterone / Q000097:blood; D014770:Virilism / Q000209:etiology
D013739:Testosterone; D002784:Cholesterol; D015096:3-Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenases