IMMUNOHISTOCHEMICAL DISTRIBUTION OF TYPE-IV COLLAGENASE IN NORMAL, DYSPLASTIC AND NEOPLASTIC CANINE MAMMARY-GLAND

The distribution of type IV collagenase (cIVase) was evaluated immunoh istochemically in a series of normal, dysplastic and neoplastic canine mammary glands, as well as in lymph node metastases. In normal and dy splastic mammary tissues, and benign mammary tumours, cIVase was obser ved in myoepithelial cells, but in malignant tumours it was mainly loc alized in the cytoplasm of carcinoma cells and fibroblasts close to in filtrating neoplastic cells. No significant difference was observed be tween carcinomas of different histological sub-types. These results su ggest that the distribution of cIVase is a potentially useful indicato r of malignancy in canine mammary tumours. (C) 1997 W.B. Saunders Comp any Limited.