Abstract

PURPOSE
The purpose of this study is to evaluate the diagnostic availability of the morphology of mitochondria to identify the nature or the origin of neoplasms. MATRIALS AND METHODS: We analysed two cases of ovarian malignancy- a case of malignant steroid cell tumor, unclassified and a case of metastatic carcinosarcoma from the adrenal cortex- which were difficult to identify the origin and the nature of the tumor for special staining, immunohistochemical and ultrastructural methods.
RESULTS
To evaluate the nature or the origin of neoplasms, we performed immuno histochemistry for various antigens and special stains, however the specific diagnostic clues were not provided by these modalities. The ultrastructural characteristics of mitochondria of neoplastic cells showing tubular or tubulo-vesicular inner mitochondrial membranes provided diagnostic clues as a marker for steroidogenic potential. The morphology of mitochondria is related to the enzyme activity and steroid-biosynthetic capacity of cells. Especially, the inner mitochondrial membrane structure is believed to be related to the steroid biosynthetic activity. In hypofunctional state of corticosteroid productian, a reduced number of inner mitochondrial membranes showing tubular patterns is noted. In cantrast, the stimulation of steroidogenesis result in a progressive increase of mitochondrial membrane showing densely packed rounded vesicular patterns via tubulo-vesicular patterns according to the activity of steroidogenesis.
CONCLUSION
The tubular, the vesicular and the tubulo-vesicular mitochondria will be valuable to identify the uncertainty of nature and origin of tumor as a stemidogenic.

• Keywords: Tubular mitochondria;Tubulo-vesicular mitochondria;Vesicular mitochondria;Steroidogenesis