H. Wagner et al., SEX-CHROMOSOME DETERMINATION IN EXTRAGONADAL TERATOMAS BY INTERPHASE CYTOGENETICS - CLUES TO HISTOGENESIS, PEDIATRIC PATHOLOGY & LABORATORY MEDICINE, 17(3), 1997, pp. 401-412
Teratomas are neoplasms that are composed of tissues from all three ge
rminal layers. The exact histogenetic origin of teratomas, however, is
still controversial. In order to gain more insight into histogenesis
of extragonadal teratomas (EGTs), the gonosomal status in 13 congenita
l EGTs was studied by means of interphase cytogenetics using nonradioa
ctive in situ hybridization (NISH) with centromere-specific DNA probes
. By use of this technique a direct correlation of cytogenetic results
with morphology was possible. In all EGTs analyzed the gonosomal stat
us in tissues derived from the different germinal layers was identical
to that of the nontumorous fetal and placental tissue. This was true
irrespective of localization, age, histological type, and classificati
on of the EGT. Our results strongly suggest that EGTs arise from pluri
potent diploid precursor cells, for example, either premeiotic germ ce
lls that have not yet undergone the first meiotic division or pluripot
ent ectopic embryonal or extraembryonal cells. Our data do not support
the theory of parthenogenetic EGT development, at least in males.