Glycosaminoglycans in human cerebral tumors. Part II. Histochemical findings and correlations.

The occurrence and the distribution of GAGs have been studied histochemically in 224 human cerebral tumors by means of Alcian blue techniques. In the normal peritumoral gray matter the alcianophilia is stronger than in the white matter and demonstrated the presence of HA and CS. In the glioma group the alcianophilia, due to HA and CS, is mainly related to the presence of infiltrated cortex. In the other tumors, GAGs are histochemically disclosed in relation to collagen, reticulin, mesodermic areas, etc. The vessels of every tumor show a positive staining for HA, CS and HS. The histochemical findings are consistent with the biochemical ones as reported in Part I, even though the significance of GAGs in cerebral tumors remains unknown.