Surface topography of normal and neoplastic human anterior pituitary cells maintained in vitro

Pituitary tissues were obtained from 25 patients who underwent surgery for excision of pituitary macroadenomas, selective excision of microadenomas, or removal of a normal gland for palliation of metastatic cancer. Cells thus obtained were maintained in vitro for varying intervals, fixed, and examined by light (phase contrast), microscopy, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Previous SEM reports indicate that surface topography of in vitro neoplastic cells displays features that may correlate with neoplastic behavior. Cultured normal and pituitary tumor cells did not display these surface differences, with one exception, a prolactin-secreting microadenoma. Characteristic patterns for the cell populations were identified. Certain cell types appeared in all the cultures: 1) large and small granule-containing cells; 2) flat and irregular cells; 31 spindle-shaped cells; and 4) spherical, irregularly surfaced cells. In one case of an endocrine-inactive juvenile pituitary chromophobe adenoma, unique cells were observed. Surface topography did not appear to be of predictive value in determining the neoplastic character of pituitary tumors.