Ultrastructure of Liver Metastases from Colon Adenocarcinomas

Abstract

Liver metastases from colon adenocarcinoma cells exhibited features of primary tumor site such as microvilli with filamentous cores and long rootlets, glycocalyceal bodies, and classical desmosomes. Nevertheless, some cell surfaces showed scarce and short microvilli. Attenuated and imperfect desmosomes were also seen as well as swelling of rough endoplasmic reticulum, Golgi apparatus cisternae and mitochondria with electron-dense granules and scarce cristae, and the proliferation of lysosomal myelin-like figures and multivesicular bodies. In some areas, neoplastic cell entered into contact with hepatocytes and macrophages. It is concluded that in liver the invasive phenotype produced metastatic foci with cellular distinctive aspects, several of them different from the primary tumor.