| Abstract: | In this study C-erb B-2 immunostaining has been used to highlight distinct differences between the cartilage found in primary synovial chondromatosis ( n =20), normal articular cartilage ( n =10), benign enchondromas ( n =10), and chondrosarcomas ( n =10). There was no positive staining in either the normal cartilage or the chondromas, but 15 cases of synovial chondromatosis showed at least some staining, although in the majority of cases fewer than 50 per cent of cells stained positive. There was no correlation between cellularity/pleomorphism and the extent or intensity of staining. Five of the chondrosarcomas were positive, with more than 50 per cent of cells showing positive staining in three of these cases. All positive cases in this series showed a diffuse cytoplasmic staining pattern. Despite these results, there was no Ki-67 positive staining in synovial chondromatosis, which tends to suggest that the demonstrated expression of C-erb B-2 is not related to proliferative activity. The significance of this staining remains undetermined. |
