title: Folliculo-stellate cells of the human pituitary as adult stem cells: examples of their neoplastic potential.
abstract: Two unique, formerly unrecorded sellar neoplasms were observed in two women of 60 and 63 years of age. One lesion consisted of small epithelial cells and the other was a large-cell oncocytic tumor, yet they had the same simple cytoplasmic organization with dominance of polyribosomes and a sprinkle of glycogen. Striking markers shared by the neoplasms: (1) network of typical pituitary follicles, and (2) unexpected similarity to fetal human pituitary tissue at different gestational ages of 6 and 10-12 weeks. The latter showed appreciable endocrine differentiation. The assumed parent cell is the folliculo-stellate cell as pluripotent adult stem cell.
authors.affiliation: Department of Laboratory Medicine, St. Michael's Hospital, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. kovacsk@smh.ca
authors.forename: Eva
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Horvath
authors.forename: Claire I
authors.initials: CI
authors.lastname: Coire
authors.forename: Kalman
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kovacs
authors.forename: Harley S
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Smyth
mesh_terms: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D046529:Microscopy, Electron, Transmission; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local; D014411:Neoplastic Stem Cells / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D010903:Pituitary Gland, Anterior / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D010911:Pituitary Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D039904:Pluripotent Stem Cells / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D011132:Polyribosomes / Q000648:ultrastructure; D012658:Sella Turcica / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor