An electron microscopic study was made of a nasal hemangiopericytoma. Previous ultrastructural studies of hemangiopericytomas established no uniform description of these tumor cells. The ultrastructure of this tumor revealed the presence of several cellular morphological variations. The majority of tumor cells resembled pericytes. Less frequently occurring tumor cells showed features compatible with smooth muscle cells, the cytoplasm being filled by bundles of fibrillar material and dense bodies. Numerous cells of transitional morphology between pericytes and smooth muscle cells were also present. The concept that pericytes are a transitional form from mesenchymal cell to smooth muscle cell is discussed.
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Hahn et al. (1973) studied this question.