Human osteogenic sarcoma: fine structure of hard tissue areas

The structure of hard tissue areas (with osteoid and calcified matrix) in 10 osteoblastic, chondroblastic, and fibroblastic osteogenic sarcomas was studied in the electron microscope. Neoplastic cells commonly associated with these areas and presumably actively involved in the production of hard tissue were osteoblast-like cells types 1 and 3, chondroblast-like cells type 1, and fibroblast-like cells, as defined and characterized in previous studies. The cells differed from those in soft tissue areas of osteogenic sarcomas in but one respect: they usually showed presence of irregular extrusions at their surfaces. Other types of osteoblast-like and chondroblast-like cells occurred rarely or not at all. Two types of multinucleated giant cells were recognized in these areas, one showing a fine structure reminiscent of that in osteoclasts, the other probably being of a neoplastic nature and engaged in the production of the calcifying matrix. The evidence suggested that neoplastic osteoblast-like, chondroblast-like, and fibroblast-like cells as well as certain multinucleated giant cells might all be involved in the mineralization process and/or the formation of osteoid in osteogenic sarcomas. Although phenotypically of highly variable appearance, all these different cells may thus functionally (and probably histogenetically) be closed related. The mineralization process in the tumor tissue appeared to be a modification of what occurs in normal ossification, possibly with an alternative or complementary pathway involving the production of spherical bodies with layered contents.