title: Ultrastructure of adrenal cortical carcinoma.
abstract: The ultrastructural features of 30 adrenal cortical carcinomas have been reviewed and compared with those seen in adrenal cortical adenomas, adrenal cortical hyperplasia, and the normal cortex. A broad range of ultrastructural appearances was found among the carcinomas, but the differences were mainly in the amount of cytoplasmic lipid, number of lysosomes, and quantity and architecture of the mitochondria and endoplasmic reticulum. Structural variants among the carcinomas included lipid-rich, oncocytic, and glycogen-rich cells. Electron microscopy can be extremely useful in differential diagnoses that include adrenal cortical carcinoma.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston 77030.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Mackay
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: el-Naggar
authors.forename: N G
authors.initials: NG
authors.lastname: Ordonez
mesh_terms: D000236:Adenoma / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D000302:Adrenal Cortex / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D000306:Adrenal Cortex Neoplasms / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D006801:Humans; D006965:Hyperplasia; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D012189:Retrospective Studies