Skip to main content
Log in

Ultrastructural localization of S-100 protein in neurofibroma

  • Original Works
  • Published:
Acta Neuropathologica Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Summary

The nature of the cells in neurofibromas was studied by electron microscopy and immunoelectron-microscopic examination of S-100 protein. Ultrastructurally, all five neurofibromas studied were found to be composed of Schwann cells, perineurial cells, and intermediate cells, which had features of both perineurial cells and fibroblasts. The Schwann cells had complex, branched cytoplasmic processes and a continuous basal lamina. The perineurial cells were distinguishable from Schwann cells by the presence of numerous pinocytotic vesicles, unbranched slender cytoplasmic processes and a discontinuous basal lamina. The intermediate cells had no basal lamina, but were topographically related to Schwann cells and had a similar fine structure to that of perineurial cells. Thus, they seemed to be modified neoplastic perineurial cells. Immunoelectron-microscopic studies showed the presence of cells with and without S-100 protein in the neurofibromas: cells with S-100 protein resembled Schwann cells ultrastructurally, and those without S-100 protein were perineurial and intermediate cells. Some Schwann cells with S-100 protein in one neurofibroma had numerous pinocytotic vesicles characteristic of perineurial cells, suggesting that Schwann cells and perineurial cells, are functional variants of the same cell type. Thus this study showed that neurofibromas were composed of Schwann cells with S-100 protein and perineurial and intermediate cells, including socalled endoneurial fibroblasts, without S-100 protein. Morphological and functional transition seems to occur between Schwann cells and perineurial cells, and between perineurial cells and intermediate cells.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Angervall L, Kindblom LG, Haglid K (1984) Dermal nerve sheath myxoma. A light-and electron-microscopic, histochemical, and immunohistochemical study. Cancer 53:1752–1759

    Google Scholar 

  • Bilbao JM, Khoury NJS, Hudson AR, Briggs SJ (1984) Perineurioma (localized hypertrophic neuropathy). Arch Pathol Lab Med 108:557–560

    Google Scholar 

  • Chino F, Tsuruhara T (1968) Electron-microscopic study on von Recklinghausen's disease. Jpn J Med Sci Biol 21:249–257

    Google Scholar 

  • Conley FK, Rubinstein LJ, Spence AM (1976) Studies on experimental malignant nerve sheath tumors maintained in tissue and organ culture systems. II. Electron microscopy observations. Acta Neuropathol (Berl) 34:293–310

    Google Scholar 

  • Enzinger FM, Weiss SW (1983) Soft tissue tumors. Mosby, St Louis Toronto London, pp 580–624

    Google Scholar 

  • Erlandson RA, Woodruff JM (1982) Peripheral nerve sheath tumors: An electron-microscopic study of 43 cases. Cancer 49:273–287

    Google Scholar 

  • Kimura M, Kamata Y, Matsumoto K, Takaya H (1974) Electron-microscopical study on the tumor of von Recklinghausen's neurofibromatosis. Acta Pathol Jpn 24:79–91

    Google Scholar 

  • Lassmann H, Ammerer HP (1974) Schwann cells and perineurium in neuroma. Some morphological aspects. Virchows Arch [Cell Pathol] 15:313–321

    Google Scholar 

  • Lassmann H, Jurecka W, Gebhart W (1976) Some electronmicroscopic and autoradiographic results concerning cutaneous neurofibromas in von Recklinghausen's disease. Arch. Dermatol Res 255:69–81

    Google Scholar 

  • Lassmann H, Jurecka W, Lassmann G, Gebhart W, Matras H, Watzek G (1977) Different types of benign nerve sheath tumors. Light microscopy, electron microscopy and autoradiography. Virchows Arch [Pathol Anat] 375:197–210

    Google Scholar 

  • Lazarus SS, Trombetta LD (1978) Ultrastructural identification of a benign perineurial cell tumoi. Cancer 41:1823–1829

    Google Scholar 

  • Morris JH, Hudson AR, Weddell G (1972) A study of degeneration and regeneration in the divided rat sciatic nerve based on electron microscopy. IV. Changes in fascicular microtopography, perineurium, and endoneurial fibroblasts. Z Zellforsch 124:165–203

    Google Scholar 

  • Nakajima T, Kameya T, Watanabe S, Hirota T, Sato Y, Shimosato Y (1982) An immunoperoxidase study of S-100 protein distribution in normal and neoplastic tissues. Am J Surg Pathol 6:715–727

    Google Scholar 

  • Oldfors A (1980) Macrophages in peripheral nerves. An ultrastructural and enzyme histochemical study on rats. Acta Neuropathol (Berl) 49:43–49

    Google Scholar 

  • Osamura RY, Komatsu N, Izumi S, Yoshimura S, Watanabe K (1982) Ultrastructural localization of prolactin in the rat anterior pituitary glands by pre-embedding peroxidaselabeled antibody method: Observations in normal, castrated, or estrogen-stimulated specimen. J Histochem Cytochem 30: 919–925

    Google Scholar 

  • Reed ML, Jacoby RA (1983) Cutaneous neuroanatomy and neuropathology. Normal nerves, neural-crest derivatives, and benign neural neoplasms in the skin. Am J Dermatopathol 5: 335–362

    Google Scholar 

  • Smith TW, Bhawan J (1980) Tactile-like structures in neurofibromas. An ultrastructural study. Acta Neuropathol (Berl) 50: 233–236

    Google Scholar 

  • Stefansson K, Wollmann R, Jerkovic M (1982) S-100 protein in soft-tissue tumors derived from Schwann cells and melanocytes. Am J Pathol 106: 261–268

    Google Scholar 

  • Takahashi K, Yamaguchi H, Ishizeki J, Nakajima T, Nakazato Y (1981) Immunohistochemical and immunoelectron-microscopic localization of S-100 protein in the interdigitating reticulum cells of the human lymph node. Virchows Arch [Cell Patho] 37: 125–135

    Google Scholar 

  • Waggener JD (1966) Ultrastructure of benign peripheral nerve sheath tumors. Cancer 19: 699–709

    Google Scholar 

  • Watabe K, Kumanishi T, Ikuta F, Oyake Y (1983) Tactile-like corpuscles in neurofibromas: Immunohistochemical demonstration of S-100 protein. Acta Neuropathol (Berl) 61: 173–177

    Google Scholar 

  • Weiser G (1975) An electron microscope study of “pacinian neurofibroma”. Virchows Arch [Pathol Anat] 366: 331–340

    Google Scholar 

  • Weiser G (1978) Neurofibrom und Perineuralzelle. Elektronenoptische Untersuchung an neun Neurofibromen. Virchows Arch [Pathol Anat] 379: 73–83

    Google Scholar 

  • Weiss SW, Langloss JM, Enzinger FM (1983) Value of S-100 protein in the diagnosis of soft tissue tumors with particular reference to benign and malignant Schwann cell tumors. Lab Invest 49: 299–308

    Google Scholar 

  • Woodruff JM, Horten BC, Erlandson RA (1983) Pathology of peripheral nerves and paragangliomas. In: Silverberg SG (ed) Principles and practice of surgical pathology. Wiley, New York Chichester Brisbane Toronto Singapore, pp 1503–1520

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Hirose, T., Sano, T. & Hizawa, K. Ultrastructural localization of S-100 protein in neurofibroma. Acta Neuropathol 69, 103–110 (1986). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00687045

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00687045

Key words

Navigation