Biochemical Biopsy of Skeletal System Lesions

APPLICATION OF QUANTITATIVE MICROCHEMICAL TECHNIQUES

¹ From the Orthopedic Laboratory, Department of Surgery, the Division of Surgical Pathology and the Department of Pathology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis

Utilizing quantitative microchemical techniques developed by Lowry, an attempt was made to obtain biochemical biopsy specimens and to determine the enzyme content of morphologically selected areas from malignant and benign lesions of the skeletal system. Osteosarcoma, chondrosarcoma, proliferating bone from Paget's disease, and tissue from polyostotic fibrous dysplasia were analyzed for enzymes of carbohydrate metabolism, hexosamine, and total phosphate content. Generally the areas and lesions characterized by rapid proliferation were the most active enzymatically and in the selections from malignant neoplasms lactic dehydrogenase was predominant. Benign proliferating bone in Paget's disease was featured by more active aerobic pathways with more malic dehydrogenase.

Comparison of neoplastic cartilage from the osteosarcoma with the morphologically similar cartilage from chondrosarcoma demonstrated considerable chemical differences between the two cartilage types. In general, the clinical course and manifestations of the lesions studied could be correlated with the metabolic activity as determined by the alkaline phosphatase and carbohydrate intermediate enzyme content.

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