Synaptophysin

Synaptophysin staining in Atypical carcinoid.

Synaptophysin is the principal structural element of the walls of synaptic vesicles and thus a neuroendocrine marker.

Normal tissues

• Note: resists autolytic degradation (can be used 5 days post mortem).
• Marker of late onset (neuronal maturation).

Positive staining

• Cerebral cortex
• Hippocampus
• Corpus striatum,
• Globus pallidus
• Substantia nigra
• Cerebellum system
• Olfactory bulb
• Pineal gland
• Adrenal gland
• Langerhans islets

Tumours

• Ganglioglioma.
• Medulloblastoma +/-ve.
• Pituitary adenoma.
• Neurocytoma.
• Paraganglioma.
• Dysembryoplastic neuroepithelial tumour.
• Atypical carcinoid.

See also

• Immunohistochemistry.