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5 types of fibroblasts were characterized by histomorphometrical and ultrastructural examinations of the wound healing of rats, 3, 7, 14 and 21 days p. op. These cells were undifferentiated mesenchymal cells, immature fibroblasts, mature fibroblasts, myofibroblasts and fibroclasts. The functions of these cells were discussed with respect to cell proliferation, synthesis, and degradation of collagen.

Malakoplakia which was found in the kidney if a man aged 55 years is described. This rare granulomatous lesion was extirpated together with a renal cyst. So-called Hansemann-cells with inclusion bodies and ring structures were found by light and electronmicroscopic examinations. These concentrically arranged ring like structures were not typical Michaelis-Gutmann-bodies, and they consisted of microfibrils and small granula. Using X-ray microprobe analysis could be detected calcium. These findings were considered to be an early stage of malakoplakia.

Pituitary adenomas are usually classified according to the nature of their proper hormonal production. Silent adenomas of the pituitary are tumors without clinical and biochemical evidence of overproduction of any known adenohypophyseal hormones. The proportion of such seemingly nonfunctioning tumors is 20 to 30%. Silent corticotropic adenomas are able to synthesize some normal or abnormal sequences of proopiomelanocortin precursor without any signs of hypercorticism. These tumors were divided into basophilic adenomas with strong periodic acid-Schiff (PAS) positivity and chromophobic adenomas with moderate or no PAS positivity. All of our cases were chromophobic adenomas. Two of the cases were positive for beta-endorphin by immunofluorescence. ACTH immunoreactivity was not present in the cells. Electron microscopic study of the adenoma cells showed small secretory granules with a halo. The diameter of these granules varied from 50 to 250 nm. Automated morphometric and densitometric investigations of silent corticotropic adenomas and adenomas from patients with Cushing's disease gave different karyometric results. The most important practical problem arising from the present investigation was the high frequency of recurrence of silent corticotropic tumors.

Ectopic production of ACTH is observed in 6% of patients with Cushing syndrome. Ten percent of these cases are related to endocrine pancreatic tumors. In a few cases a multiplicity of hormones are produced. The combination with a Zollinger-Ellison syndrome is very infrequent. In the present case, a female patient aged 54, there was an interval between the onset of Zollinger-Ellison and Cushing syndrome. The combination of bilaterally enlarged adrenals in the absence of an adrenal adenoma and the presence of Crooke-cells in the adenohypophysis in a patient with Cushing syndrome are of diagnostic significance. This trias should always alert the physician to the possibility of extrahypophyseal ACTH production.