Human pathology
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The occurrence and pattern of cytoplasmic muramidase containing histiocytes were studied by the unlabeled antibody peroxidase-antiperoxidase method in biopsy material from patients with Hodgkin's disease, non-Hodgkin's lymphomas, and reactive hyperplasia. The majority of lymph nodes from patients with Hodgkin's disease, nodular lymphoma, and reactive hyperplasia gave positive staining reactions when tested in this manner. Differences in the staining pattern were observed for the different conditions studied. ⋯ Since the mottling pattern appeared to be produced by virtue of a large amount of extracellular muramidase, the elevation of the serum muramidase level in Hodgkin's disease may be related to enzymatically active secretory histiocytes. Moreover, the mottling staining pattern was observed frequently in the lymphocytic predominance and nodular sclerosis type of Hodgkin's disease, but relatively infrequently in the mixed cellularity or lymphocytic depletion types, suggesting that the variation in histiocytic activity may be related to the course of the disease. The decreased staining reaction observed in the latter two categories could not be accounted for by a decrease in the numbers of histiocytic cells in hematoxylin and eosin stained sections, suggesting that release or synthesis may be defective in those unfavorable types of Hodgkin's disease.
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An unusual case of bilateral malignant Brenner tumor with liver and omental metastases is reported. The tumor was histologically a transitional cell carcinoma comparable to a grade III bladder carcinoma. A benign component was not identified, but there were a few nests of malignant epithelial cells distributed in a dense stroma, a pattern identical to that seen in a benign Brenner tumor. ⋯ Nevertheless it is suggested that the current histologic criteria for malignant Brenner tumor be modified to exclude the requirement of an intimately associated benign Brenner tumor. Ultrastructurally the malignant Brenner tumor has many features of the benign Brenner tumor. Some features, notably the basal lamina, micropinocytotic vesicles, nd intracytoplasmic microfibrils, are herein described for the first time in a malignant Brenner tumor.