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Clinically Non-Functioning Human Pituitary Adenomas

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  18 September 2015

Sylvia L. Asa  and
Kalman Kovacs
Sylvia L. Asa*
Affiliation:
Department of Pathology, St. Michael’s Hospital, University of Toronto, Toronto
Kalman Kovacs
Affiliation:
Department of Pathology, St. Michael’s Hospital, University of Toronto, Toronto
*
Department of Pathology, St. Michael’s Hospital, 30 Bond Street, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5B 1W8
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Abstract:

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Clinically non-functioning pituitary adenomas are morphologically classified into two groups, those which have hormone immunoreactivity and ultrastructural features of known adenohypophysial cell types but are clinically silent, and those composed of cells that do not resemble nontumorous adenohypophysial cell types. Among the fomer are the silent somatotroph adenomas, silent corticotroph adenomas and silent gonadotroph adenomas; the latter include the silent type III adenomas, null cell adenomas and oncocytomas. We review their histological, immunohistochemical and ultrastructural features, the results of in situ hybridization to determine hormone synthesis by these tumors and data obtained from tissue culture characterizing their hormone release in vitro. Non-functioning adenomas represent a heterogeneous group. The discrepancies between morphology, immunoreactivity and lack of endocrine activity of silent adenomas are not clear. Oncocytomas are variants of null cell adenomas. We suggest that null cell adenomas and oncocytomas originate in uncommitted pluripotent precursor cells capable of undergoing multidirectional differentiation. The progenitor cells differentiate most frequently toward FSH / a-subunit producing cells; the mechanism of preferential differentiation is obscure.

Type
Articles
Information
Canadian Journal of Neurological Sciences , Volume 19 , Issue 2 , May 1992 , pp. 228 - 235
Copyright
Copyright © Canadian Neurological Sciences Federation 1992

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