ISSN:
1432-2307
Keywords:
Mouse teratoma
;
Centrifugal elutriation
;
Melanotic neuroepithelium
Source:
Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
Topics:
Medicine
Notes:
Summary Dissociation and elutriation procedures were applied to the OTT-6050 mouse teratoma line carried in subcutaneous implants in 129/J mice in order to enrich the differentiating neuroepithelial cells. Subsequent renal subcapsular implantation of one of the resultant cell fractions (IB-9) in syngeneic mice led to the constant production of macroscopically pigmented tumors which, in addition to undifferentiated stem cells, contained primitive neuroepithelial populations composed of medullary epithelium, neuroblasts, and numerous ependymoblastic rosettes. Melanin pigment, confirmed by the presence of melanosomes and premelanosomes, was found in medullary epithelium and other primitive neural cells. The tumors preserved their characteristics through 65 sequential transplants over a period of 5 1/3 years. The pigment was maintained in vitro for up to 3 months in an organ culture system. Subcutaneous or intracerebral transplantation of the renal tumors of the IB-9 fraction accentuated the capacity of these primitive cells towards further neuroepithelial differentiation into mature synapse-forming neurons, and was associated with a decrease in primitive neuroepithelium and an absence or a marked decrease of melanin. Return of the tumor to the kidney resulted in the reappearance of melanin after one to three passages, again associated with the presence of primitive neuroepithelium. The recognition of melanin pigment in the OTT-6050 mouse teratoma transplants could be a useful marker for the successful selection of primitive neuroepithelial cell populations in this experimental tumor system. These populations may help to study the relationship between melanin production and certain types of primitive neuroectodermal tumors in man.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/BF02155667
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