Abstract

Parathyroid glands from cases of hyperparathyroidism have been examined with particular attention to mast cells. In `normal' glands accompanying an adenoma they were common, although there was a wide range in their frequency, whereas in pathological tissue, both adenoma and hyperplasia, mast cells were scarce. This difference between glands was examined with respect to alterations in gland size, to variations in the amount of interstitial tissue, to degrees of overactivity, and to anatomical development of the glands. No conclusions can be drawn with regard to the significance of mast cells in parathyroid tissue.