Search PubMed⌕ Search

SEARCH · Search PubMed

Results for “APUD Cells”

Search indexed PubMed citations on genomics, clinical trials, systematic reviews and public health. Explore titles, authors and supplied subject terms, then open the PubMed record.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 217 records · Page 12Linked to original sources

In vitro loading of human synovial membrane with 5-hydroxydopamine: evidence for dense core secretory granules in type B cells.

Ultrastructural studies of the synovial membrane were performed on tissue samples obtained from the human lumbar facet joint. Ultrastructural changes in synoviocytes were studied after loading synovial samples with 5-hydroxydopamine (5-OHDA) in an oxygenated Krebs' solution, prior to fixation. Synoviocytes were set loosely in the intimal matrix and classified into type A (phagocytic) and type B (secretory) cells. In general, type A cells populated the surface of the synovial lining, whereas type B cells were located deeper in the tissue, extending a process into the synovial fluid. Type B cells in control samples contained sparse secretory granules. Free nerve endings were not found in the synovial intima. In response to incubation in 5-OHDA, a precursor of biogenic monoamines, synoviocytes clustered and established contact. The ultrastructure of type B cells in the loaded group clearly differed from controls. They possessed typical membrane-bound vesicles, containing an electron dense interior surrounded by a lucent space. The size of these dense core vesicles ranged from 100 to 260 nm (on average 180 nm). They were in relation to microtubules and located preferentially in the marginal area of the cytoplasm, close to the Golgi complex. The ultrastructure of type A cells was not significantly altered. The present observations provide morphological evidence for the amine-handling properties of type B cells, indicating that they might be added to the list of 'APUD' cells of the diffuse neuroendocrine system. A recepto-secretory function for type B cells is discussed.

Golgi Apparatus↗

Diagnosis and staging of islet cell tumors of the pancreas.

Pancreatic endocrine tumors arise from the amine precursor uptake and decarboxylation (APUD) cells of the pancreas and behave in a different fashion both biologically and clinically from pancreatic adenocarcinoma. Gastrinomas and insulinomas are the two most common pancreatic endocrine tumors. Unlike pancreatic adenocarcinoma, in which tumor stage, resectability, and prognosis are determined by the tumor, nodes, and metastasis (TNM) classification, the prognosis of pancreatic endocrine tumors is determined by the presence of liver but not regional lymph node metastasis. This review focuses predominantly on the different diagnostic tools available to the clinician and the relative merits of each modality. The sensitivities of computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, somatostatin receptor scintigraphy, endoscopic ultrasound, and angiography with venous sampling for diagnosing islet cell tumors are compared. A diagnostic algorithm for the management of these tumors is provided at the end of the discussion.

Adenocarcinoma↗

Melanocytic bronchial carcinoid tumor.

A melanin- and serotonin-producing bronchial carcinoid tumor is described. Melanin synthesis by neoplastic cells also containing electron-dense core (neurosecretory granules was documented by electron microscopy and serotonin content was found by biochemical assay to be 201.2 micrograms/g wet weight of tissue. Simultaneous demonstration of "endocrine" properties with characteristics of a cell of neural-crest origin provides strongly confirmatory evidence for the APUD cell theory of Pearse and makes an interesting commentary in regard to general theories of neoplasia.

Aged↗

Selective localization of the parathyroid secretory protein-I/adrenal medulla chromogranin A protein family in a wide variety of endocrine cells of the rat.

Secretory protein-I (SP-I) of parathyroid glands and chromogranin A ( CGA ) of adrenal medullary chromaffin cells are chemically similar if not identical proteins. Both proteins are contained within secretory granules and appear to be cosecreted with granule contents, for example, in the parathyroid with PTH and in the adrenal with epinephrine and dopamine beta-hydroxylase. Antisera to bovine SP-I and porcine CGA , together with antisera to a variety of peptide hormones, were used in an immunofluorescence study of rat tissues in order to determine the probable distribution and cellular localization of these proteins. In addition to their previously demonstrated presence in parathyroid and adrenal cells, the SP-I/ CGA protein family was detected in cells of the thyroid that contained calcitonin and often SRIF but not thyroglobulin; in cells of the anterior pituitary staining for the alpha-subunit of TSH/FSH/LH but not in cells staining for GH, PRL, ACTH, or beta-endorphin; in pancreatic islet cells staining for SRIF and pancreatic polypeptide-related peptides, but not for insulin or glucagon; in the celiac and mesenteric ganglia in cells some of which contained SRIF; and in the gastric antrum in cells containing SRIF, but not gastrin. SP-I/ CGA was not detected in cells of the liver, kidney, parotid gland, or acinar pancreas or in the intermediate or posterior lobes of the pituitary. These results suggest that this protein family enjoys a widespread but highly restricted distribution in many different endocrine-peptide cells of the rat, many that are believed to be of the APUD cell series. The possibility is raised that SP-I/ CGA plays some physiological role in the secretory process or exerts an effect of its own in the periphery after secretion.

Adrenal Medulla↗

Nonhematopoietic tumor cells express functional GM-CSF receptors.

Human granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) stimulates the colony growth of myeloid progenitors in semisolid media, and enhances the function of mature effector cells, including neutrophils, monocytes, and eosinophils. Small cell carcinoma lines (SCCL) have properties of amine precursor uptake and decarboxylation (APUD) cells and express high levels of the enzyme, L-aromatic amino acid decarboxylase. We looked for possible expression of GM-CSF receptors on nonhematopoietic cells and found specific high-affinity binding of human GM-CSF to SCCL and to the SV40-transformed African green monkey kidney cell line, COS. The small cell carcinoma lines responded to GM-CSF with enhanced proliferation, and both small cells and COS cells were found to express authentic 84,000 dalton GM-CSF receptor protein. These findings indicate that nonhematopoietic cells can bind and respond to GM-CSF, suggesting additional biological activities as well as the possibility of tumor responses when GM-CSF is used therapeutically in humans. Since preliminary clinical trials using CSFs as adjunctive treatment in patients with solid tumors are underway, it will be important to consider the possible responsiveness of nonhematopoietic tumor cells to CSFs.

Carcinoma, Small Cell↗

Oat cell carcinoma of esophagus: a report of six British patients with a review of the literature.

This paper presents 6 British patients with a diagnosis of oat cell carcinoma of the esophagus. Sixty-six patients have previously been reported in the literature, the majority (30) being British. Approximately two-thirds of these tumors have been reported as pure oat cell carcinoma of the esophagus. Four other histological patterns have been described: oat cell carcinoma with squamous carcinoma in situ; oat cell carcinoma with squamous carcinoma; oat cell carcinoma with adenocarcinoma; and oat cell carcinoma with carcinoid differentiation. A preponderance of males has also been noted, although this series shows a 2:1 female:male ratio. The tumor arises most commonly in the mid or lower esophagus. The cell of origin of these tumors in considered to be the Kulchitsky or APUD cell of neuroectodermal derivation. They may show neurosecretory granules on electron microscopy. Polypeptides have been identified within the tumor cells. One previous report describes a patient with primary oat cell carcinoma of the esophagus and hypercalcemia. A patient with the syndrome of inappropriate anti-diuretic hormone secretion is described in this paper. Survival is poor following radiotherapy, with a median survival of 3 months in this series. On reviewing the records of the Radiation Oncology Unit in Edinburgh, no patient with oat cell carcinoma of the esophagus was reported before 1972. This suggests that awareness of this tumor is increasing and, although rare, its incidence is greater than previously reported.

Aged↗

[Coexistence of reactive and nonreactive endocrine cells in the fundal mucosa in the rabbit].

Whether the same endocrine like cells are reactive towards different staining methods has been examined in normal and L-Dopa treated rabbits for distinction of cell types. Correlation with electron microscopy is proposed. It seems likely that SM cells (poorly reactive with Sevier-Munger technic) include two cell types: cells having around medium size and dense granules; cells having small round dense granules (D1?). X cells may correspond to a well defined group at the electron or photonic microscopic level. Insertion of D cells (according to Solcia and coworkers nomenclature) is not satisfactory but true non Apud cells are described. The signification of Jt (dim yellow) cells remains unknown.

Animals↗

[Malignant carcinoid of the duodenum with polymorphism of the neuroendocrine granules].

In a man of 67, malignant multihormonal carcinoid of the duodenum 1 or 2 cm in size with deep penetration into the intestinal wall and multiple metastases into the lymph nodes became a cause of a secondary biliary liver cirrhosis and fatal intestinal haemorrhage. There was a difference between the cell population of a primary tumour in which D-cells dominated and EC-cells were also present and metastasis where a higher level of serotonin and its analogs was detected and where EC-cells dominated and ECL-cells were found as well. This observation confirms the opinion that the malignancy of carcinoid is determined by the degree of its invasiveness. Polymorphism of secretory granules in the cells of the same tumour supports the concept of the unique precursor of APUD-cells.

Aged↗

Historical, current and future perspectives on gastrointestinal and pancreatic endocrine tumors.

Gastrointestinal and pancreatic endocrine tumors are neoplasms of which the pathogenesis is not completely understood and of which the clinical behavior is difficult to predict. Originally, Masson suggested that the cell of origin was an endocrine cell derived from the gastrointestinal epithelium. However, Pearse showed that the endocrine cells throughout the body shared various features, among others the amine precursor uptake and decarboxylation (APUD) capacity, and postulated the neural crest as the common origin for all APUD cells, a hypothesis that received support from the scientific community for many years. Now, biologists start to elucidate the various transcription factors that drive gastrointestinal development, and it has become evident that Masson was presumably right. Transcription factors relevant for development may also operate during tumorigenesis, and their expression may determine tumor biology. With other genetic factors, they may play a role in the pathogenesis of gastrointestinal and pancreatic endocrine tumors, and perhaps, their expression will turn out to be of prognostic or therapeutic value. In this review, current knowledge on the development of endocrine cells, hypotheses on the origin of endocrine tumors, genetic alterations, and prognostic factors are discussed. It is suggested that the increasing understanding of the normal development of gastrointestinal and pancreatic endocrine cells, the accumulating data on genetic alterations in endocrine tumors and the reappraisal of the hypotheses on their pathogenesis formulated in the past may help in elucidating their pathogenesis and in more accurately predicting prognosis.

Animals↗

Immunocytochemical localization of calcitonin-producing cells in a strumal carcinoid with amyloid stroma.

A nonfunctioning strumal carcinoid arising in a 49-year-old woman was studied by histochemical and immunocytochemical techniques. All tumor cells, irrespective of their architectural arrangement, showed properties of neuroendocrine-programmed cells, without any evidence of thyroid follicular cell differentiation. Foci of calcitonin-producing C-cells were demonstrable by immunocytochemical technique and were closely associated with areas of amyloid stroma of the tumor. Efforts at localization of insulin and gastrin within the tumor cells gave negative results. While the results in the present case offer additional support for an APUD cell origin of strumal carcinoids, the presence of the calcitonin-producing C-cells within the tumor raises interesting histogenetic possibilities as to whether these lesions are derived from C-cells or represent an ovarian carcinoid with foci of C-cell differentiation.

Amyloid↗

Endocrine cell carcinoma of the uterine cervix.

We present an endocrine cell carcinoma of the uterine cervix in a 21-year-old woman which we studied by histochemical, immunocytochemical, and ultrastructural methods. The tumor had a histologic appearance similar to an oat cell carcinoma, and carcinoma in situ changes were found in the adjacent cervical surface epithelium. Histochemistry and electron microscopy revealed argyrophil cells containing small round secretory granules; more rarely argentaffin (enterochromaffin) cells were seen with dense, elongated and pleomorphic granules and numerous undifferentiated cells with few and small granules. Our findings indicate that the different types of endocrine tumor cells have the same stem cell origin and necessitate the revision of some of the concepts of the embryogenesis of the APUD cells and their tumors. We emphasize that all undifferentiated or poorly differentiated carcinomas of the uterine cervix should be examined histochemically and ultrastructurally, particularly since their correct classification has prognostic and therapeutic implications.

Adult↗

A new type of cell in the pulmonary epithelium of the newt Triturus alpestris Laur. A scanning and transmission electron microscopic study.

Single cells of a new type appear scattered among pneumocytes in the pulmonary epithelium. The surfaces of these cells communicate with the air space and display numerous finger-like microvilli. In comparison to pneumocytes, these cells have a more lucid cytoplasm and their apical parts contain large amounts of electron-lucent vesicles and electron-dense granules, which are probably released into the lumen of the lung. These secretory cells exhibit a yellow formaldehyde-induced fluorescence, which suggests that they belong to the class of APUD cells.

Animals↗

Chromogranin in bronchopulmonary neuroendocrine cells. Immunocytochemical detection in human, monkey, and pig respiratory mucosa.

Immunoreactive chromogranin A was demonstrated by immunocytochemistry in the cytoplasm of neuroendocrine cells (NEC) and neuroepithelial bodies (NEB) in human, monkey, and pig respiratory mucosa. Three different antisera (one monoclonal and one polyclonal to human chromogranin A, and one polyclonal to bovine chromogranin A) were applied in this study. Chromogranin immunopositivity varied in extent and intensity according to the antiserum applied and the tissue investigated. The monoclonal antibody revealed the strongest immunoreaction. Good correlation between chromogranin immunoreactivity and Grimelius silver staining was observed by comparing adjacent sections, although more cells seemed to reveal chromogranin immunoreactivity than argyrophylia. Chromogranin appears to be a useful histological marker for APUD cells in the respiratory mucosa of several species.

Animals↗

Biological and immunological aspects of small cell carcinoma of the lung in relation to ectopic hormone production.

Small cell carcinoma share morphological and functional characteristics with normal Kulchitsky cells (K-cells) of the bronchial tree. This tumor is thought to reflect a neoplastic transformation of the pulmonary APUD cells because of the morphological similarities with K-cells, the association with paraneoplastic syndromes and the high incidence of ectopic hormone production. The peptide hormones produced and secreted by small cell carcinoma can be used as tumor markers to guide diagnosis and to monitor chemotherapy. They may be of particular value in following the course of a patient and in detecting early recurrences. Some of the hormonal substances produced by the tumor have the biochemical characteristics of prohormones. The difference between the abnormal hormones and their physiological counterparts probably will lead to the development of more specific marker assays. On the other hand, some of the atypical hormones have autoantigenic properties, as they occur in circulating immune complexes of patients with small cell carcinoma. The correlation between ectopic hormone production and host immunity might be of importance for the development of future treatment modalities.

Antigen-Antibody Complex↗

Differential localisation of substance P and motilin.

Motilin, and Substance P, have previously been shown to be present in enterochromaffin (EC) cells in the gut mucosa. By comparing a specific immunofluorescence stain for Substance P with an immunoperoxidase reaction for motilin, applied sequentially to the same tissue section, it is possible to demonstrate that the two peptides are present in different cells. It is concluded that a) at least two different types of EC cells must exist and b) these results provide further evidence for the neuroectodermal origin of the gastrointestinal APUD cells. Studies of the degranulation pattern of EC cells could help to elucidate the role of amines in the mechanism of storage and secretion of different peptides under normal and pathological conditions.

Animals↗

Arguments for a histogenetic classification of lung carcinomas.

Taking into consideration the common origin of lung carcinomas from the basal-intermediate cells of covering epithelia of bronchi and bronchioles (which have preserved their ability to divide and differentiate under different stimuli), and the development of tumors in at least two phases, the main histogenetic characteristics of lung carcinomas are discussed. There are pointed out the various and multiple promoting factors acting at the level of proliferating cell foci resulted from the initiating action of chemical carcinogens and the varied deepness of the cellular changes induced. Under these conditions, the malignantly transformed cells may remain poorly differentiated, like during the histogenesis of macrocellular carcinomas (which might be influenced in the course of proliferation, within some limits, by active factors), they may preserve the stereotype of cylindrocubic development, like during the formation of cylindrocubic carcinomas (bronchiolo-alveolar cell carcinomas included), or may suffer metaplastic changes and form subsequently epidermoid carcinomas; the inclusion of Kultschitzky-APUD cells within proliferating foci may lead to bronchial carcinoids or to microcellular carcinomas. The particular forms of lung carcinomas (giant celled, adenocystic, mucoepidermoid) histogenetically reflect the mixed or concomitant stereotypical evolutions of basal cells while preserving some secretory possibilities.

Adenocarcinoma↗

Goblet cell carcinoid of appendix: ultrastructural features and histogenetic aspects.

Light and electron microscopic examination of a goblet cell carcinoid revealed cells with pleomorphic neurosecretory-type granules, cells containing mucin some of which also contained these granules and less differentiated cells lacking the aforementioned features. Recent embryologic and anatomic studies of developing avian and mammalian gut, respectively, show that intestinal APUD cells are probably of endodermal origin. Therefore, mixed carcinoid tumors such as the goblet cell variant could arise in crypt base stem cells.

Appendiceal Neoplasms↗

Case report of neuroendocrine carcinoma of the skin, histochemical and electron microscopic study.

A rare case of neuroendocrine carcinoma of the skin in a 83-year-old male Japanese was reported. Histological, electron microscopical and cytological studies were performed on the surgically removed tumor tissue and the cultured tissue. The tumor occurred at the junction of the dermis and subcutaneous tissue of the right elbow, and spread to the right brachial region and axilla. Histologically, the tumor consisted mostly of small anaplastic cells, closely resembling lymphocytes. They showed a characteristic uniformity without rosette or trabecular formation in the usual histological sections, but an epithelial-like arrangement of tumor cells was readily observable both in the tissue culture and imprint preparations. Grimelius' stain was weakly positive in the periphery of the cytoplasm. Neuron Specific Enolase (NSE) activity was high both in the serum and in the tumor mass. No gastro-entero-pancreatic hormones were detected. Electron microscopically, membrane-bound granules of neurosecretory type, 90 to 170 nm in diameter were observed in the cytoplasm. These granules were characteristically distributed along the periphery of cytoplasm beneath the plasma membrane and in clusters in the cell processes. The tumor cells had sparse rudimentary desmosome-like junctions and a few cytoplasmic finger-like projections. Either a neurogenic or APUD cell origin of the tumor was suspected. The serum NSE value, suggesting to be a neurogenic origin before the histological examination in the present case, is considered to be a valuable marker substance for screening and therapeutic monitoring of neurogenic tumors.

Aged↗