IMMUNOHISTOCHEMICAL LOCALIZATION OF CHROMOGRANIN IN HUMAN HYPOPHYSES AND PITUITARY-ADENOMAS

  • 1 January 1985
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 109  (6) , 515-517
Abstract
Chromogranin was demonstrated by immunohistochemistry in the cytoplasm of human .beta.-thyrotropin, human .beta.-FSH, human .beta.-luteinizing hormone-[LH]- and human .alpha.-subunit-containing cells of the non-tumorous human adenohypophyses. Some surgically removed human .beta.-thyrotropin-, human .beta.-FSH hormone-, human .beta.-LH hormone-, and human .alpha.-subunit-producing pituitary adenomas, as well as some null cell-adenomas, exhibited chromogranin immunoreactivity, whereas adenomas storing human growth hormone, human prolactin, or corticotropin were negative. Chromogranin immunopositivity was variable in extent and intensity; not every glycoprotein-producing cell could be immunostained in the nontumorous adenohypophysis and the majority of chromogranin-containing adenomas showed only focal positivity. No explanation can be offered for this variability. The demonstration of chromogranin by the avidin-biotin-peroxidase technique may be helpful in the immunohistochemical characterization of some glycoprotein hormone-producing pituitary adenomas, as well as null-cell adenomas of the human pituitary.

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