Ultrastructure of telangiectatic osteosarcoma

Abstract

Recent investigations have shown that telangiectatic osteosarcoma has a poorer prognosis than other osteosarcomas. To elucidate the histogenesis of TOS two cases were investigated on the electron microscopic level. The results show that besides anaplastic, osteoblast-like, and fibroblast-like tumor cells angiosarcomatous components can be observed in this malignant bone tumor, which are characterized by endothelial cells with pinocytotic vesicles, tight intercellular junctions, fine fibrils, and so-called Weibel-Palade bodies in their cytoplasm. From these results, it is concluded that telangiectatic osteosarcoma is derived from multipotent mesenchymal cells with potential differentiation into various directions, such as osteoblast-like cells, and fibroblast-like cells.