Light and Electron Microscopical Study of C cells in Thyroid Diseases

The evaluation of solitary thyroid nodules often constitutes a diagnostic problem. The aim of this study was to observe the morphology of C cells and their consequent possible alterations in normal thyroid tissue adjacent to benign and malignant lesions of the gland. We studied 44 patients with a histological diagnosis of nodular or adenomatoid goitres and carcinomas of follicular cell origin. The specimens were examined by light and electron microscopy and by immunohistochemistry (chromogranin stain). In most benign cases the C cells preserved their architectural structure, while in most malignant cases there was a marked alteration of their architecture, C-cell hyperplasia and a clear diminution of the number of their granules. Our findings suggest that the morphological alterations of C cells may play a role in the evaluation of thyroid lesions.