Morphometrical Analysis of GFAP positive Cells in Human Astrocytomas

Abstract

The morphometrical characteristics of human astrocytoma were examined using the shape, size, and intercellular distances of glial fibrillary acidic protein-positive cells in samples from 21 patients with various astrocytomas and normal samples resected during operations on seven patients with other brain tumors. The results showed that astrocytoma cells were rounder than normal astrocytes with fewer processes. Low-grade astrocytomas were smaller than astrocytes or rapid regrowth astrocytomas. Morphological analysis of astrocytoma may be valuable for evaluating the potential migration to adjacent tissue.