Immunohistochemistry of glomus jugulare and tympanicum tumors.

Glomus jugulare and tympanicum tumors differ from other paragangliomas, especially from aorto-sympathetic, visceral-autonomic and adrenal medulla tumors. They differ not only in their localization, but also in their histologic and clinical pictures. As differentiated from other paragangliomas, these tumors show no argyrophilia. Besides the difference in histochemistry, the glomus jugulare and tympanicum tumors also differ from other paragangliomas in the intensity of their immunohistochemical reaction to particular markers. As differentiated from other paragangliomas that react well to chromogranin with antisera, the chief cells of these tumors are poorly represented with chromogranin as a marker. As distinguished from chromogranin, however, synaptophysin produced a positive reaction, i. e., moderate to maximal reactivity, in all cases under study. Helper cells of these tumors, and likewise other paragangliomas, are well represented by antisera to S-100 protein and glial fibrillary acid protein.