Extracellular collagenous spherules in salivary gland tumors. Immunohistochemical analysis of laminin and various types of collagen.

Collagenous spherulosis is a benign breast lesion involving lobular acini and ductules and containing eosinophilic spherules measuring up to 100 microns in diameter. We present an immunohistochemical analysis of similar collagen-rich spherules that are also found in salivary gland tumors. These collagenous spherules contain varying amounts of acidic mucins, elastin, basement membrane proteins including type IV collagen and laminin, and considerable amounts of interstitial collagen types I and III. Types II and VI collagen were not detected in collagenous spherules of salivary gland tumors. The cells surrounding these collagenous spherules expressed muscle actin, S100 protein, vimentin, and cytokeratins 8, 18, and 19, indicating that these cells have myoepithelial characteristics.