On the origin of the so-called naevus cells of soft moles and the formation of the malignant growths derived from them / by Arthur Whitfield.

  • Whitfield, Arthur, 1868-1947.
Date:
[1900]
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: On the origin of the so-called naevus cells of soft moles and the formation of the malignant growths derived from them / by Arthur Whitfield. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The Royal College of Surgeons of England. The original may be consulted at The Royal College of Surgeons of England.

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    (6.) In some cases a lumen is present in the columns of cells. Delbanco agrees almost entirely with the description of von Reckling- hausen, with the exception that he finds that the cells lie in spaces lined with endothelium, which he figures. He adopts, however, Unna’s explanation of their origin, and regards them as having grown down into the superficial lymphatics. Hodara bases most of his arguments in support of Unna on the apparent presence of prickles in the snared off cells. Kromayer, whose views are particularly interesting because, in addition to being an accomplished histologist, he is a convert to Unna’s side, having at one time held the opposite opinion, calls attention to the peculiar degeneration of the cells in the epidermis and their loss of prickles, leading to the formation of encysted masses which later on pass downwards into the corium. He also admits the presence of collagenous and elastic tissue between the deeper cells, but puts forward the heretical, but not necessarily erroneous, view that this tissue is of new formation and produced by the nsevus cells themselves. He therefore assumes a metaplasia of epithelial into connective tissue-cells, and remarks that one may classify these cells as epithelial from their parentage or connective tissue from their later behaviour. Lubarsch throws doubt upon the genuineness of the encysted epidermic masses, and points out that such appearances may be often obtained in oblique sections ; at the same time he thinks that the metaplasia of epithelial into connective tissue-cells in post-embryonic life has not been proved to occur. From the foregoing sketch of the discussion it will be seen that many of the investigators have attached great importance to minute differences or similarities in the structure of the cells, and some have tried to prove their epithelial or connective tissue character from these structural peculiarities. In this connection, the remarks of Hansemann, in his admirable brochure on the microscopic diagnosis of malignant tumours, are both interesting and important. He points out that no reliance should be placed upon the characters of a cell for the purpose of discovering its origin, and in support of this statement quotes Kolliker and His, finally expressing his opinion that “ epithelial character can only mean the juxtaposition of many cells and the covering of a surface, never a morphological peculiarity of any individual cell.” c