Hemangioblastomas of the central nervous system--immunohistochemical and ultrastructural study

Immunohistochemical studies using immunoperoxidase staining for glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), S-100 protein, and factor VIII-related antigen (VIII-RAg) were performed on 10 hemangioblastomas of the central nervous system to determine the origin of stromal cells. No cytoplasmic immunoreactivity for anti-GFAP, anti-S-100 protein, or anti-VIII-RAg was detected in most stromal cells. A small number of GFAP-positive cells were found only in the periphery of the tumor; they were thought to be trapped astrocytes or stromal cells taking up GFAP. Most stromal cells had abundant, clear cytoplasm with some microfilaments and lipid vacuoles. Cylindrical cytoplasmic processes and intermediate junctions were observed in some stromal cells, but most cells did not possess any junctional device. No stromal cell possessed any feature clearly suggesting endothelial cells or pericytes. Our immunohistochemical and ultrastructural investigations did not support the theories of stromal cell origin from astrocytes or endothelial cells. We concluded that stromal cells can be regarded as an aberrant cell type of angiogenic mesenchymal derivation.