[Histochemiscal characteristics of lipids in different forms of goiter].

Histochemical studies were carried out of the content and localization of neutral and acid lipids, cholesterol and its ethers, phospholipids, free fatty acids and soaps in various forms of goiter (96 of the thyroid glands removed during during the operation in connection with goiter). It was shown that thyreo-toxic strumas were characterized by a very small amount of neutral lipids in the apical part of thyreocytes and some small amount in the stroma. The greatest amount of lipids (predominantly acid ones, free fatty acids and soaps) were identified in euthyroid macro-microfollicular strumas which were characterized by cystic degeneration of the glandular parenchyma and by a marked process of desquamation of the follicular epithelium. Histochemically, the desquamated Kulesh-Lauer's cells were found to contain moderate and insignificant amounts of neutral lipids, cholesterol and its ethers, with the help of the reaction with Nile bleu sulphate a great amount of acid lipids was identified, by Fischer's method--a great amount of free fatty acids. The results obtained also showed that Ashkinazi's cells were free from lipids. C-cells, which hardly identifiable in thyreotoxic colloid-parenchymatous strumas, were found to be rich in phospholipids, whereas in other cellular elements of the thyroid gland they were not detected, which in the authors' opinion, may serve as a histochemical test of C-cells.