Cystadenoma of the pancreas:An ultrastructural study

Abstract

A case of cystadenoma of the pancreas was studied at the light (LM) and the ultrastructural (EM) levels. The observation made under LM that the flattened epithelial cells lining the cystic spaces were similar to the centroacinar cells of a normal pancreas was supported by EM findings. Numerous glycogen granules were demonstrated in the cells, a feature characteristic of fetal but not adult centroacinar cells. A few epithelial cells contained occasional membrane bound dense granules of unknown nature. This observation and the finding of normally appearing islets of Langerhans raise the possibility that this may be an example of a mixed insular-duct cystadenoma. However, if the islets of Langerhans were considered entrapped structures, this tumor should be labelled as a simple serous cystadenoma.

Cystadenoma of the pancreas: a histological, histochemical and ultrastructural study of seven cases

“…In their detailed and well illustrated electron microscopic study of one cystadenoma, Lo et al (1977) concluded that the ultrastructure of the neoplastic cells was similar to that of normal centroacinar cells. A somewhat similar conclusion was drawn by Compagno & Oertel (r978), but their ultrastructural findings were based on formalin fixed material from two cases.…”

“…The ultrastructure of pancreatic cystadenoma has been the subject of only one detailed study which was a single case report (Lo et a/. 1977).…”