Argyrophil reactive cells in the normal uterus and differentiated endometrial adenocarcinoma.

Argyrophil cells were seen in 2 of 134 cervical tissue blocks obtained from 18 uteri, but none in the endometrium. In 10 of 30 cases of differentiated endometrial adenocarcinoma cells contained argyrophil granules stained with Grimelius method. These argyrophil reactive glandular cells gave positive d-PAS and Alcian blue (pH 2.5, PH 1.0) reactions, but gave no argyrophil reaction with PAS-Grimelius double staining method. It was also demonstrated that these glandular cells contained sulphomucins, because High iron diamine (HID) method gave positive reaction with HID-Alcian blue pH 2.5 double staining. Dense granules, which were submicroscopically seen in cells of well differentiated endometrial adenocarcinomas, were diagnosed as exocrine secretory granules, because of their localization in the cytoplasm and distinct morphological transformation from condensed vacuoles into mature secretory granules. From these findings, argyrophil granules which were seen in cells of the differentiated endometrial adenocarcinomas were thought not to correspond to endocrine granules but mucosubstances.