Kunio Oota

A HISTOPATHOLOGICAL STUDY OF THE HUMAN SPINAL GANGLIA. NORMAL VARIATIONS IN AGING

The cervical and lumbar ganglia from 285 cases of a consecutive series of autopsies were examined to obtain quantitative data on the number and size of nerve cells, the ratio of connective tissue to parenchym and the appearance ratio of degenerated cells. Twelve cases without referable diseases in the central and peripheral nervous systems were selected as standard material representing normal aging processes. Serial sections were observed in order to avoid misjudgement. The average number of nerve cells varied from 7.0 × 104 in the first decade to 4.5 × 104 in the seventh decade, showing a decrease of about 2.5 × 104 cells (36%). The average size of nerve cells remained fairly constant after the second decade, ranging between 25μ and 135mU with a single peak at 60 μ in a nearly standard curve distribution. Degenerated cells first appeared in the late second decade and there was an increase of connective tissue after the fourth decade. The age‐dependent changes in the ganglia started in the third decade as cellular atrophy and satellitosls. Gradual replacement of the nerve elements by fibrous connective tissue took place during the following several years by the form of selerotic change and residual nodule. These age‐dependent qualitative and quantitative changes should be important in the interpretation of findings in cases with delicate sensory disturbances.

Mucous substance and enzyme histochemistry of non-neoplastic and neoplastic gastric epithelium in man.

On a consecutive series of 100 cases of gastric carcinoma, htstochemi‐cal investigation of mucous material and 7 kinds of enzymes, including dehydrogenases, phosphatases, and lysosomal enzymes was performed. Mucous membrane of twenty stomachs resected for ulcer served as control. Histologically, thirty of the carcinomas were well‐differentiated, 47 moderately differentiated, and 23 undifferentiated adenocarcinomas. A combination of histochemical reaction of two enzymes, alkaline phosphatase and aminopeptidase was found to be characteristic for the intestinal epithelium, both benign and malignant. Thus, carcinomas consisting of malignant epithelium fulfilling these characteristics could be classified as of intestinal epithelial type, and the others as of non‐intestinal epithelial type. Correlation of tubular structural differentiation of carcinoma and this histochemical differentiation was examined: 14 of 30 (46.7%) morphologically well differentiated, 20 of 47 (42.6%) moderately differentiated, and 10 of 23 (43.5%) undifferentiated adenocarcinomas were classified histochemically in the intestinal epithelial type. There is, apparently, no direct correlation between the enzymatic characteristics and the morphological tubular “differentiation”. It is apparent that the diffuse type of LAUREN16 is not “non‐intestinal”.

MALIGNANT GLIOMATOSIS PERITONEI ORIGINATING FROM CYSTIC OVARIAN TERATOMA

An autopsy case of a malignant gliomatosis peritonei originating from cystic ovarian teratoma of a 22‐year‐old Japanese female is reported. The primary ovarian tumor, resected 8 months prior to death, consisted of a grade 3 teratoma with a small occult focus compatible with endodermal sinus tumor. The metastatic lesions which were found in the mediastinal and cervical lymph nodes as well as in the peritoneal cavity, consisted solely of atypical neuroglial elements. A review of the literatures describing the cases of benign glial implants and of immature neural elements is also presented.

TWO CASS OF MINUTE LUNG CANCER APPARENTLY DEVELOPING ON THE BASIS OF CHRONIC BRONCHITS

Two cases of minute epidermoid carcinoma of bronchus were presented; one in situ carcinoma with incipient invasion developing on the basis of long‐standing tuberculous bronchitis and the other in situ carcinoma in association with non‐specific chronic bronchitis. The importance of the role of chronic inflammation in development of epidermoid epithelial metaplasia and epidermoid carcinoma was suggested.