Neuroendocrine tumours arise from which cells?

• A. Epithelial squamous cells
• B. Liver hepatocytes
• C. Hormone-producing neuroendocrine cells
• D. Blood-forming cells

Answer: (C)

Neuroendocrine tumours originate from hormone-producing neuroendocrine cells, which have features of both nerve cells and endocrine (h hormone-secreting) cells. These cells are scattered throughout the body, especially in the gastrointestinal tract, pancreas, and lungs, and they release peptides and amines into the bloodstream. That capacity to behave like both nervous and endocrine cells is what defines their lineage and drives tumor formation from these specific cells.

In contrast, squamous epithelial cells are a type of epithelial tissue lining surfaces, liver hepatocytes are liver parenchymal cells, and blood-forming cells are hematopoietic in origin; none of these are neuroendocrine cells, so they don’t give rise to neuroendocrine tumours.