Biomaterial Database

Intercellular contacts in tumours of the vascular smooth muscle cells in man. 1988

J A Sosa-Melgarejo, and C L Berry

Department of Morbid Anatomy, London Hospital, UK.

Electron microscopy has been used to study the cell to cell and cell to stroma contacts between smooth muscle cells (SMC) in normal vessels, angiomyolipoma and well and poorly differentiated vascular leiomyosarcoma. Micrographs were examined with a semiautomatic image analysis system. The length of the cell borders was calculated and the type and number of contacts per 100 micron cell perimeter and per 100 cells were determined. In all cases there was a predominance of simple appositions. Intermediate junctions, nexus junctions, interdigitations, intermediate contacts and junctional interdigitations were less frequently observed. In general, as the SMC become malignant and less differentiated the number of cell to stroma attachments decreases markedly and the intercellular contacts increase slightly.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007365	Intercellular Junctions	Direct contact of a cell with a neighboring cell. Most such junctions are too small to be resolved by light microscopy, but they can be visualized by conventional or freeze-fracture electron microscopy, both of which show that the interacting CELL MEMBRANE and often the underlying CYTOPLASM and the intervening EXTRACELLULAR SPACE are highly specialized in these regions. (From Alberts et al., Molecular Biology of the Cell, 2d ed, p792)	Cell Junctions,Cell Junction,Intercellular Junction,Junction, Cell,Junction, Intercellular,Junctions, Cell,Junctions, Intercellular
D007890	Leiomyosarcoma	A sarcoma containing large spindle cells of smooth muscle. Although it rarely occurs in soft tissue, it is common in the viscera. It is the most common soft tissue sarcoma of the gastrointestinal tract and uterus. The median age of patients is 60 years. (From Dorland, 27th ed; Holland et al., Cancer Medicine, 3d ed, p1865)	Leiomyosarcoma, Epithelioid,Leiomyosarcoma, Myxoid,Epithelioid Leiomyosarcoma,Epithelioid Leiomyosarcomas,Leiomyosarcomas,Leiomyosarcomas, Epithelioid,Leiomyosarcomas, Myxoid,Myxoid Leiomyosarcoma,Myxoid Leiomyosarcomas
D008067	Lipoma	A benign tumor composed of fat cells (ADIPOCYTES). It can be surrounded by a thin layer of connective tissue (encapsulated), or diffuse without the capsule.	Fatty Tumor,Hibernoma,Lipoma, Pleomorphic,Atypical Lipoma,Lipomata,Lipomatosis, Multiple,Atypical Lipomas,Fatty Tumors,Hibernomas,Lipoma, Atypical,Lipomas,Lipomas, Atypical,Lipomas, Pleomorphic,Lipomatas,Lipomatoses, Multiple,Multiple Lipomatoses,Multiple Lipomatosis,Pleomorphic Lipoma,Pleomorphic Lipomas,Tumor, Fatty,Tumors, Fatty
D008297	Male		Males
D008854	Microscopy, Electron	Microscopy using an electron beam, instead of light, to visualize the sample, thereby allowing much greater magnification. The interactions of ELECTRONS with specimens are used to provide information about the fine structure of that specimen. In TRANSMISSION ELECTRON MICROSCOPY the reactions of the electrons that are transmitted through the specimen are imaged. In SCANNING ELECTRON MICROSCOPY an electron beam falls at a non-normal angle on the specimen and the image is derived from the reactions occurring above the plane of the specimen.	Electron Microscopy
D008875	Middle Aged	An adult aged 45 - 64 years.	Middle Age
D009131	Muscle, Smooth, Vascular	The nonstriated involuntary muscle tissue of blood vessels.	Vascular Smooth Muscle,Muscle, Vascular Smooth,Muscles, Vascular Smooth,Smooth Muscle, Vascular,Smooth Muscles, Vascular,Vascular Smooth Muscles
D002450	Cell Communication	Any of several ways in which living cells of an organism communicate with one another, whether by direct contact between cells or by means of chemical signals carried by neurotransmitter substances, hormones, and cyclic AMP.	Cell Interaction,Cell-to-Cell Interaction,Cell Communications,Cell Interactions,Cell to Cell Interaction,Cell-to-Cell Interactions,Communication, Cell,Communications, Cell,Interaction, Cell,Interaction, Cell-to-Cell,Interactions, Cell,Interactions, Cell-to-Cell
D005260	Female		Females
D006391	Hemangioma	A vascular anomaly due to proliferation of BLOOD VESSELS that forms a tumor-like mass. The common types involve CAPILLARIES and VEINS. It can occur anywhere in the body but is most frequently noticed in the SKIN and SUBCUTANEOUS TISSUE. (from Stedman, 27th ed, 2000)	Angioma,Chorioangioma,Hemangioma, Histiocytoid,Hemangioma, Intramuscular,Chorangioma,Chorangiomas,Chorioangiomas,Hemangiomas,Hemangiomas, Histiocytoid,Hemangiomas, Intramuscular,Histiocytoid Hemangioma,Histiocytoid Hemangiomas,Intramuscular Hemangioma,Intramuscular Hemangiomas