Correlation of electron microscopic and secretory response of human parathyroid adenomas with different calcium concentrations in organ culture.

Twelve parathyroid chief cell adenomas from patients with primary hyperparathyroidism were incubated in a tissue culture system in the presence of different calcium concentrations and for various time periods. The endocrine response of the tissue was examined electron microscopically and radioimmunologically. After incubation in a medium of low calcium concentration the parathyroid adenomas showed ultrastructural signs of stimulation with proliferation of the hormone-synthesizing organelles. The development of the ultrastructural response could first be observed after four hours and increased up to several days. Radioimmunologically, an increase of the hormone secretion could be demonstrated. Converse results were obtained after incubation of the tumor tissue under suppressive culture conditions. To check for de-novo synthesis of the hormone released the tissue was incubated in a 75Se-methionine-containing medium. This resulted in radioactivity of the secreted parathyroid hormone, indicating de novo synthesis in our culture system. The biological potency of the released hormone was demonstrated by comparison of the PTH out of the medium with the international human MRC standard using two different radioassays.