[Scanning electron microscopy of human cultured gliomas (author's transl)]

Tumor tissues of glioblastoma multiforme, astrocytoma and medulloblastoma, maintained up to 21--28 days by gelfoam organ culture technique, were examined by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Glioblastoma multiform has irregular cell surface and many cytoplasmic folds. Astrocytoma has many fibrils. The fibrils have smooth surface and are coiling. Fibrils of piloid astrocytoma are smooth and cylindrical. The focal thickness of fibrils are associated with so-called Rosenthal fiber. Capillary of astrocytoma has irregular surface and marked tortuosity. Medulloblastoma is composed of non-fibrillated round tumor cells. The tumor cells touch each other with short cell processes. These findings seemed to correspond to the malignancy of original tumor. Comparative observation of medulloblastoma maintained by monolayer cell culture with one maintained by organ culture, using light microscopy and scanning electron microscopy, was done. And medulloblastoma in monolayer culture was proliferated to two types of cells. One is epitheloid cell with taper cell processes, and the other is stellate cell with fine processes. In most organ culture, feature of cells corresponded to those observed in original surgical material by light microscopy.