STRUCTURE OF A JUXTAGLOMERULAR CELL TUMOR - PRESENCE OF A NEURAL COMPONENT - LIGHT AND ELECTRON-MICROSCOPIC STUDY

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  • 1 January 1977
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 37  (4) , 357-368
Abstract
A 15 yr old girl with hypertension, markedly elevated plasma renin activity and normal aortogram had a well encapsulated tumor nodule removed from the right kidney. Following surgery, the plasma renin activity and blood pressure became normal and have remained so for the past 12 mo. The tumor consisted of juxtaglomerular cells filling the interstitium between endothelium-lined vascular spaces. Electron microscopy disclosed the presence in the interior of the tumor, of unmyelinated nerve bundles with varicosities containing the small, densely cored vesicles characteristic of adrenergic nerves. Nerve terminals were in contact with the juxtaglomerular tumor cells. No basement membrane material was interposed between the nerve endings and the tumor cell; the width of the gap between the 2 plasma membranes was approximately 150 .ANG.. The presence of sympathetic fibers in the juxtaglomerular cell tumor underscored the close biologic relationship between the sympathetic and renin systems.