Abstract
Purpose::
Pterygium is a benign proliferative disease. Vascular mimcry was once thought to be a blood supply pathway occurring only in malignant tumors. The goal of our reseach is to investigate the effect and occurence of vascular mimicry in pterygium during its development.
Methods::
218 specimens were harvested from patients undergoing pterygium excision. They were studied under the light microscope by HE, PAS stain and immunohistochemistry. Immunohistochemistry for monoclonal antibodies CD34, Vimentin,VEGF(vascular endothelium growth factor),Laminin,CD31,FVIII were performed on 97 cases which had been identified the existence of vascular mimicry .
Results::
97 cases vascular mimicry could be identified in pterygium of 218 specimens, they were tubular type and patterned matrix type. CD34 immunohistochemistry combined with PAS stain showed that the arcs and cells composing the meshwork were CD34-positive, they were encircled by some PAS-positive extracelluar matrice(ECM). Laminin immunohistochemistry combined with PAS histochemistry showed that endothelium and blood vessl walls were Laminin-positive, but most cells in the tubular region were negative stained. VEGF immunohistochemistry combined with PAS stain showed that fibroblast-like cells in patterned matrix were VEGF-positive , the septas of meshwork and extracelluar matrice(ECM) were PAS-positive.
Conclusions::
Vascular mimicry exists in the pterygium and may be another blood supply pathway for pterygium.
Keywords: Pterygium • blood supply • pathobiology