[Characteristics of the production of chorionic gonadotropin by the cells of trophoblastic tumors (immunohistochemical research)].

An immunohistochemical investigation of chorionic gonadotropin (CGT) in normal placental, hydatidiform mole and choriocarcinoma tissues was undertaken. Cyto- and syncytiotrophoblast both were shown to produce the hormone in normal and tumor trophoblast; the rate of synthesis increased in proportion to the degree of cell elements differentiation, except for very large elements of syncytiotrophoblast with numerous pycnotic nuclei which were found to contain either only traces of response to CGT or none at all. The percentage of syncytiotrophoblast--produced hormone progressively increased in the succession of the placenta--hydatidiform mole--choriocarcinoma. No significant difference in the levels of immunohistochemically--identified hormone was found in the hydatidiform mole and choriocarcinoma.