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The Melanocyte: Its cytochemical and immunological relationship to cells of the endocrine polypeptide (APUD) series

Der Melanocyte: Cytochemische und Immunologische Verwandtschaft mit den Zellen der APUD Serien

  • Published:
Virchows Archiv B

Zusammenfassung

Es wird hier bewiesen, daß normale und neoplastische Monocyten cytochemische Eigenheiten der Serien der APUD-Zellen haben: Eingliederung der L-Dopa, hohe α-Glycerophosphat-Dehydrogenase, unspezifische Esterasen und maskierte Metachromasia. Formaldehydinduzierende Fluorescenz erlaubt es, zu vermuten, daß eine bis jetzt nocht nicht identifizierbare Aminsubstanz vorhanden ist. Eine Immunofluorescenz-Reaktion mit “Antigastrin” ist in menschlichen bösartigen Melanomen demonstriert worden. Dies weist darauf hin, daß bösartige und vielleicht auch normale Melanocyten hormonische Polypeptiden produzieren können. Der festgesetzte Ursprung der Melanocyten von den Neuralleisten her gibt den Grund zu der Hypothese, daß die Zellen der APUD-Serien diesselbe Herkunft haben.

Summary

Normal and neoplastic melanocytes are shown to have cytochemical characteristics of the APUD1 cell series: uptake of L-dopa, high α-glycerophosphate dehydrogenase, histochemically demonstrable non-specific cholinesterase and non-specific esterases, and masked metachromasia. Formaldehyde-induced fluorescence strongly suggests the presence of an as yet unidentified amine substance. An immunofluorescent reaction with anti-gastrin has been demonstrated in a human malignant melanoma, indicating that malignant melanocytes, and perhaps normal melanocytes, can produce (hormonal) polypeptides. The established origin of melanocytes from the neural crest supports the hypothesis that the cells of the APUD series may have the same derivation.

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Abbreviations

APUD:

Amine and Amine Precursor Uptake and Decarboxylation

ChE:

non-specific cholinesterase

dopa:

3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine

FIF:

formaldehyde-induced fluorescence

α-GPD:

α-glycerophosphate dehydrogenase

MCA:

methylcholan-threne

nsE:

non-specific esterase

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Royal Postgraduate Medical School, London W 12

    F. W. D. Rost, J. M. Polak & A. G. E. Pearse

  2. Department of Histochemistry R. P. M. S., Hammersmith Hospital London, W. 12, Great Britain

    F. W. D. Rost, J. M. Polak & A. G. E. Pearse

Authors
  1. F. W. D. Rost
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  2. J. M. Polak
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  3. A. G. E. Pearse
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Rost, F.W.D., Polak, J.M. & Pearse, A.G.E. The Melanocyte: Its cytochemical and immunological relationship to cells of the endocrine polypeptide (APUD) series. Virchows Arch. Abt. B Zellpath. 4, 93–101 (1969). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02906064

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02906064

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