Parathyroid Pathology Flashcards
A cell with central, round, uniform nuclei. It has light to dark pink cytoplasm, sometimes clear from glycogen - “water clear”. Contain secretory granules.
Chief Cells
What is in secretory granules of Chief Cells?
PTH
A cell with acidophilic cytoplasm, tightly packed with micotchondria.
Oxyphil cells
What type of granules do oxyphil cells have?
Glycogen granules. Sparse/absent secretory granules.
Size of oxyphil cells compared to chief cells.
Oxyphil slightly larger than chief.
Function of the parathyroid. What type of conditions stimulate hormone release?
Regulates calcium by synthesizing and secreting PTH when free calcium levels are low.
Name the four functions of PTH
- Increase renal tubular reabsorption of Ca
- Increase urinary phosphate excretion
- Increase conversion of Vit D to active dihydroxy form in kidneys (augment GI Ca absorption)
- Release Ca and phosphorus from bone.
What inhibits the parathyroid?
High calcium levels inhibit PTH secretion.
Causes of hypercalcemia with increased PTH concentration (four).
- Hyperparathyroidism - (a) Primary (adenoma > hyperplasia). (b) Secondary. (c) Tertiary.
- Familial hypocalciuric hypercalcemia.
Causes of hypercalcemia with decreased PTH concentration (five).
- Hypercalcemia of malignancy
- Vit D toxicity
- Immobilization
- Thiazide diuretics
- Granulomatous disease (sarcoidosis)
Describe the main differences between the causes of primary, secondary, and tertiary hyperparathyroidism.
- Primary - autonomous over production of PTH (adenoma)
- Secondary - Compensatory hypersecretion of PTH in response to prolonged hypocalcemia (CKF) –> overactive PT glands.
- Tertiary - hypersecretion fo PTH after cause of prolonged hypoCa is corrected (post renal transplant)
Predominant Sex of those with primary hyperparathyroidism.
female (4:1)
Most common cause of primary hyperparathyroidism.
Parathyroid Adenoma
Two main molecular defects and two main familial syndromes that play a role in development of sporadic parathyroid (?) adenoma.
Molecular: Cyclin D1 inversion, MEN1/RET mutation
Familial: MEN1/2, Familial hypocalciuric hypercalcemia
Normal function of Cyclin D1 and MEN1.
Cyclin D1 - major regulator of cell cycle
MEN1 - tumor suppressor gene
Describe genetic cause of familial hypocalciuric hypercalcemia.
LoF mutations in parathyroid Calcium-Sensing Receptor Gene (CASR), leading to decreased sensitivity to extracellular calcium.
A solitary, well-circumscribed tumor that is hypercellular - with little to no fat - composed of uniform chief cells, few (or predominantly) nests of larger oxyphil cells.
Parathyroid adenoma
Describe PTgland that surrounds the parathyroid adenoma.
Usually normal in size or shrunken form feedback inhibition by elevated Ca.
Describe the edge of a parathyroid adenoma.
Usually there is a rim of nonneoplastic parathyroid tissue, generally separated by a fibrous capsule.
If a parathyroid adenoma is composed of primarily oxyphil cells, what is it called?
Oxyphil adenoma
Main morphological difference between parathyroid hyperplasia and parathyroid adenoma.
Hyperplasia involves all four glands. Adenoma is usually one gland.