OLIGODENDROGLIOMA - THE ULTRASTRUCTURAL SPECTRUM

Oligodendroglia, so designated by del Rio Hortega1 on the basis of their cytology, particularly their scant processes, were subsequently postulated by Bailey and Cushing2 to be the progenitors of oligodendrogliomas. The latter authors encountered 9 such tumors in their series of gliomas. Accordingly, they formulated the following description, Oligodendroglioma is a cellular tumor of peculiar type in which fibrillar astrocytes occasionally appear and the neoplastic cells have spherical nuclei with a heavy chromatin network, and are surrounded by a ring of cytoplasm which stains very feebly by ordinary staining methods. Between the cells is an indefinite material which stains neither for neu-rofibrillae, neuroglia, nor for connective tissue. This material may give the growth somewhat the appearance of the cross-section of a plant. No mitotic figures can be seen. These tumors are prone to become calcified. © 1994 Informa UK Ltd All rights reserved: reproduction in whole or part not permitted.