Histochemical study of acid phosphatase activity in cerebral tumors

The distribution and localization of acid phosphatase activity have been studied in 58 biopsies of cerebral tumors and peritumoral cortex. Hexazonium pararosanilin method with alpha-naphthyl-phosphate and naphthol AS-TR as substrates has been employed. The enzyme activity may be amorphous, granular or globular in the different cell elements. Its intensity in cerebral tumors appears to be generally in relation with the degenerative occurrences rather than with single cytotypes. The higher values reached in anaplastic tumors are to be put in relation with their frequent regressive changes. The most intense activity is observed in the reactive gliomesodermic cells of cerebral abscesses; in a case of reticulum-cell-sarcoma a characteristic distribution pattern of acid phosphatase is present. Because of their lysosomal nature, the structures stained with acid phosphatase method give at the same time PAS-positive reaction and autofluorescence.