Capillary hemangioblastoma. An immunohistochemical study.

Previous studies using immunohistochemical methods to determine the presence of glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) and Factor VIII-related antigen (FVIIIR:Ag) in stromal cells of capillary hemangioblastomas have yielded conflicting results with respect to the possible astrocytic and endothelial origins of these cells. This study included Ulex europaeus I lectin (UEAI), a more sensitive marker of endothelial cells. Antibodies were also used as markers of pericytes and a variety of markers were employed to identify different populations of histiocytes. Results of this investigation indicate that FVIIIR:Ag and UEAI are limited only to endothelial cells, and that GFAP is present in entrapped astrocytes only. Positivity of stromal cells was found with some of the histiocytic markers, but the authors were unable to conclude that these cells have a histiocytic origin. It was concluded that currently there is no evidence that stromal cells are derived from endothelial, pericytic, or astrocytic cells-their origin remains uncertain.