Immunohistochemical study of fibronectin in hemangioblastomas and hemangiopericytomas

Abstract

Eight hemangioblastomas and two hemangiopericytomas were studied using indirect immunoperoxidase stains for fibronectin (FN) and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) in formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded surgical specimens. Stromal cells in hemangioblastomas were GFAP-negative and showed variable FN expression, while GFAP-positive cells were FN-negative, thus suggesting that the stromal cells are not derived from astrocytes. Hemangiopericytoma cells were poorly to intermediately FN-positive. The origin of stromal cells is discussed in the light of their fine structure and the immunohistochemical stains with other cell markers.