The ultrastructure of papillary cystadenoma lymphomatosum of the parotid gland

Summary The ultrastructure of papillary cystadenoma lymphomatosum (PCL), Warthin's tumor, of the parotid salivary gland has been described. The oncocytic cells are filled with mitochondria. Two morphologic forms of mitochondria are seen. The cells of the striate ducts in the normal parotid, have specializations associated with fluid transport and are structurally most nearly akin to the oxyphils. The subcellular hyperplasia of mitochondria may be a manifestation of aberrant function.

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Die Ultrastruktur des papillÄren Cystadenoma lymphomatosum der Parotisdrüse

Zusammenfassung Die onkocytÄren Zellen sind voll von Mitochondrien. Zwei Formen von Mitochondrien sind nachweisbar. Die Zellen der Streifenstücke (Speichelrohre) der normalen Parotis besitzen besondere Einrichtungen, die mit dem Flüssigkeitstransport in Zusammenhang gebracht werden, und sind gestaltlich am nÄchsten mit den oxyphilen Zellen verwandt. Die subcellulÄre Hyperplasie der Mitochondrien könnte Ausdruck einer abwegigen Funktion darstellen.

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This work was supported by a grant from the John A. Hartford Foundation.     

Regeneration of the parotid gland of a guinea pig

Summary After the removal of the right parotid gland in guinea pigs and partial resection of the left gland, the regeneration of the left gland was observed. Three weeks after operation the resected gland recovered its initial weight and size, chiefly through the proliferation of secretory cells in the terminal areas and the formation of glandular tissue of normal structure. The part of the gland adjacent to the main secretory duct, regenerated by means of proliferation of the glandular ducts, and for a long time retained atypical structure.Presented by Active Member of the Academy of Sciences of the USSR N. N. Zhukov-Verezhnikov     

Haemangiopericytoma of the parotid gland

Summary A primary malignant haemangiopericytoma of the parotid gland is reported. Microscopically the tumour showed two different types of area: in the first a histologically benign haemangiopericytoma was present, in the second, separated from the former by a clear-cut border, the structure was that of a histologically malignant haemangiopericytoma which subsequently metastasized and killed the patient.The report stresses the great rarity of this neoplasm in the parotid gland and discusses the problem of the behaviour of haemangiopericytomas.     

Sebaceous lymphadenoma of the parotid gland

Sebaceous lymphadenoma is a rare benign salivary gland tumor of uncertain histogenesis. We report such a case in a 37-year-old female presenting with a parotid swelling. Recognition of key histological features will readily allow differentiation of this neoplasm from its benign and malignant mimics. The prognosis is excellent following excision.     

Chondroid lipoma of the parotid gland

The presence of a parotid tumour containing cartilage immediately invokes a diagnosis of pleomorphic adenoma. However, the case we wish to highlight is a rare primary parotid neoplasm composed of both immature and mature fat and cartilaginous-looking areas conforming histologically to a chondroid lipoma.This lesion is a well-circumscribed, lobulated tumour composed of mature fat, mono- and multi-vacuolated lipoblastic-like cells suspended in a chondromyxoid matrix, simulating a cartilaginous tumour. There is no cytological atypical thus separating it from malignant fat and cartilaginous tumours. Chondroid lipomas do not show epithelial differentiation and exhibit only focal cytokeratin immunoexpression, thereby allowing for separation from pleomorphic adenoma and myoepithelioma.     

Lipoma of the parotid gland.

We report two cases of lipoma of the parotid gland which present as a non-tender, freely movable and intraparotid mass. Lipomas are common soft tissue neoplasms but found very rarely in the parotid gland, and so are often not considered in the initial differential diagnosis of parotid gland tumor. We believe that these tumors are cured by simple excision, and thus superficial parotidectomy is enough for treatment.     

Sebaceous carcinoma of the parotid gland

Summary Sebaceous carcinoma of salivary gland origin is extremely rare and, because of its rarity, the clinicopathological characteristics and the histogenesis are not fully understood. We present a case of sebaceous carcinoma of the parotid gland which brings the total number of reported cases to 22.The tumor showed epithelial cell nests which were mainly composed of sebaceous cells with marked cellular atypia. In most of the nests, glandular spaces lined by ductal epithelium were present. Scattered mucous cells and flattened eosinophilic cells at the periphery of the nests were also seen. Ultrastructural and immunohistochemical observations of the tumour revealed coexistence of sebaceous and glandular differentiations in some tumour cells. Tumour cells with lipid granules often participated in the formation of glandular structures or exhibited intracytoplasmic lumina, and immunohistochemical localization of lactoferrin and secretory component, the functional markers of ductal epithelium of salivary gland, was demonstrated not only in duct-forming tumour cells but also in many sebaceous tumour cells.It seems likely that sebaceous carcinoma originates from pluripotential duct cells which can differentiate into sebaceous, ductal and mucous cells.