Pulmonary blastoma: an ultrastructural and histochemical study.

We present a unique case of pulmonary blastoma and describe its histology and ultrastructure. The stromal component exhibited bizarre multinucleated giant cells containing previously undescribed granules. These membrane-limited granules were eosinophilic, periodic acid-Schiff positive, diastase resistant, acid phosphatase and nonspecific esterase negative, immunohistologically negative for lysozyme, albumin, and gamma globulin, and often homogeneously electron dense. A similar electron-dense material accumulated in the rough endoplasmic reticulum of these stromal giant cells, suggesting that the material in the granules is synthetic. The material appeared to be a glycoprotein but was not alpha1-antitrypsin, alpha-fetoprotein, or human chorionic gonadotropin by immunohistologic techniques. These stromal cell granules differ from granules described in epithelial cells of other pulmonary blastomas but resemble granules found in some sarcomas.

Duke Scholars

Author Victor Louis Roggli Pathology

Author John Daniel Shelburne Pathology