Enzyme Histochemical Study of Retinoblastoma

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: The histiogenesis of retinoblastoma, the most common intraocular malignancy of childhood, has been investigated from the early times. But in spite of this effort, its origin has been controversial. This study was performed to investigated the cell of origin for retinoblastoma using enzyme histomchemistry for carbonic anhydrase. METHODS: We obtained enucleated eye that was diagnosed as retinoblastoma and its section was stained for hematoxylin-eosin for diagnosis of retinoblastoma. We used enzyme histomchemistry for carbonic anhydrase distinguishing Muller's cells, red-and green-sensistive cones from neuro-retinal cells. RESULTS: They were disagnosed as relatively well-differentiated retinoblastoma by hematoxylin-eosin staining and composed of tumor cells with numerous rosette. Neither numeric nor morphologic changes of Muller cells that are suspected of malignant features in enzyme histochemistry for carbonic anhydrase was found. CONCLUSIONS: The cells of retinoblastoma were originated from the two layers, inner nuclear and ganglion cell layer. The enzyme histochemistry for carbonic anhydrase is the one of the useful methods to investigate the origin of retinoblastoma although more cases is needed to assess.