DENSE-CORE MATRICAL MITOCHONDRIAL BODIES IN ONCOCYTIC ADENOMA OF THE THYROID

  • 1 January 1983
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 107  (4) , 178-182
Abstract
Single and/or multiple, round and homogeneous electron-dense bodies occurred within the mitochondrial matrix of a mitochondrion-rich follicular adenoma of the thyroid. These non-membrane-bound bodies varied greatly in size and often occupied a large portion of the mitochondrion. They were present in normal-sized or large mitochondria that exhibited cristolysis and/or dilatation of the intracristal space of the residual cristae and formation of intramatrical myelin figures. The globule-containing mitochondria frequently exhibited bundles of parallel intramatrical filamentous inclusions that were 6-8 nm in width and were randomly arranged in clusters. Megamitochondria up to 4.4 .mu.m in widest diameter occurred in a frequency of 1-2/cell and they displayed similar bundles of filamentous inclusions. This evidence of electron-dense bodies in non-steroid-hormone-secreting cells suggests that the bodies result from nonspecific mitochondrial reaction to injury rather than being inclusions specific for steroid-synthesizing cells.