Vanishing Psammoma Bodies in the Anterior Pituitary of the Human Newborn: An Immunohistochemical and Histometric Study |
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Authors: | Terada Takahiko Stefaneanu Lucia |
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Institution: | (1) Department of Pathology, St. Michael’s Hospital, University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada;(2) Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Mayo Clinic and Mayo Foundation, Rochester, MN;(3) Department of Pathology, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, 1-5-45, Yushima Bunkyou-ku, 113, Japan |
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Abstract: | Adenohypophyses of human newborns contain characteristic psammoma bodies. Their numbers are maximal within 2 weeks of the
neonatal period and diminish thereafter. They are very rare in infant pituitaries, seeming to disappear by shrinkage in that
there is a significant direct correlation between their number and size. The bodies were found to contain a high concentration
of endogenous peroxidase, thus suggesting that the enzyme may be responsible for their disappearance. A statistical majority
of psammoma bodies were located within follicular lumens. By immunohistochemistry, the follicular epithelium surrounding psammoma
bodies showed immunoreactivity for various pituitary hormones. Light microscopy demonstrated that adenohypophysial cells surrounding
psammoma bodies contain randomly, scattered granules or globules exhibiting peroxidase activity. Extrusion of such granules
into follicular lumens may play a role in the genesis of the concretions. The conspicuous lamellar nature of the calcified
psammoma bodies suggests that waves of calcium deposition occur during their morphogenesis. Despite histologic similarities,
the histochemical characteristics of this type of psammoma body differ from those in other organs as well as from the calcification
encountered in prolactin (PRL)-producing pituitary adenomas. |
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Keywords: | Pituitary calcification newborn peroxidase activity psammoma bodies prolactinomas |
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